Wednesday Afternoon, May 17, 2023
UPDATE ON MRFF’S VICTORY AT
U.S. MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY:
GIANT JESUS PAINTING HAS NOW BEEN
REMOVED FROM ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING


The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) is keeping its promise made in February, after MRFF's successful demand on behalf of 26 USMMA midshipmen, staff, faculty, and alumni, to move its enormous Jesus painting from the Elliot M. See conference
room in its Wiley Hall administrative building to the chapel.

The Academy announced today that the painting has now been removed from the conference room and after conservation
work on it is completed will be rehung in the Academy's
non-denominational Mariners' Memorial Chapel.
Gigantic painting of Jesus hovering over a lifeboat in the conference room at USMMA
Photo Credit: U.S. Coast Guard (The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.) 
Release from U.S. Merchant Marine Academy

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

UPDATED: Statement on Painting Entitled
“Christ on the Water” at the United States
Merchant Marine Academy – May 17, 2023

Today a reputable Pennsylvania art conservation firm carefully removed the painting, titled “Christ on the Water,” from the Astronaut Elliot M. See Room of Wiley Hall. Despite its age, the painting is in generally good condition. However, professional conservation will return the painting to its original splendor allowing many more Kings Pointers to enjoy it for decades to come. The Academy hopes to mount the newly restored painting in the Mariners’ Memorial Chapel in early autumn. 
Thank you email from one of
MRFF's 26 USMMA clients on behalf
of the religiously diverse group

"Thank you"

From: (MRFF U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Client’s E-mail Address Withheld)
Subject: Thank you
Date: May 17, 2023 at 12:28:11 PM MDT
To: Mikey Weinstein <mikeyw4444@gmail.com>

Mikey,

Thank you for your help with the "Jesus on the Water" painting being moved from the Administrative building to the Academy Chapel. It wouldn't have happened without your help.

Respectfully,

On behalf of the 26 MRFF clients, from a multiplicity of faith and non-faith traditions, who are alumni, midshipmen, faculty, and staff of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. (Name and all other identifiers of MRFF U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Client Withheld)
Background on MRFF's victory in getting giant
Jesus painting at USMMA moved to the chapel
MRFF's Inbox

“MRFF may have stopped ‘Have a Blessed Day’ statements from Security Forces at Joint Base Andrews”

From: (Active Duty USAF Enlisted Member’s E-mail Address Withheld)
Subject: MRFF may have stopped “Have a Blessed Day” statements from Security Forces at Joint Base Andrews
Date: May 16, 2023 at 2:04:39 PM MDT
To: Information Weinstein <mikey@militaryreligiousfreedom.org>

Mr Weinstein and the MRFF,

I am an active duty enlisted USAF member stationed at JB Andrews. I was raised a Methodist and continue to practice my faith daily. I am one of the 15 MRFF clients protesting the AF Security Forces gate guards who keep telling everyone to “have a blessed day”.

I wanted to report that I have entered the installation numerous times since MRFF first registered our objections to the 316th Vice Wing Commander last Friday including twice today.

I have noted that none of the Security Forces gate guards are saying that phrase anymore, And I specifically recall 2 of them who checked and verified my military ID since last Friday afternoon who had used that phrase with me many times before. They are no longer saying it!

I am hoping that this is the result of the MRFF being able to convince 316th Wing senior leadership to do the right thing and order the Security Forces gate guards to stop this wrongful behavior.

In any event I wanted to let you all at the MRFF know that it seems to have been stopped at least from what I have experienced.

If anything changes there I will let you all know right away.

Thank you folks at the MRFF for carrying the ball here to what seems to be success so far.

V/R (Active Duty USAF Enlisted Member’s name, rank, unit and telephone number all withheld)
“Thank you as always, Mikey!”

From: (name withheld)
Date: May 16, 2023 at 1:21:57 PM MDT
To: Military Religious Freedom Foundation <info@militaryreligiousfreedom.org>
Subject: Re: MRFF Demands Air Force Gate Guards Immediately Cease “Have a Blessed Day” Coded Christian Salutation

Thank you as always Mikey and MRFF for tackling this and so much else. I’m sure you are aware, but this was routinely done at the Ramstein AB gates when I was there (2011-2020). Notably, it was not done in the earlier years, but started….around 2014? I worked up a quick auto-reply of ‘No thanks, just a good day will be fine.’  

(name withheld)
“MRFF Demands Air Force Gate Guards Immediately Cease ‘Have a Blessed Day’ Coded Christian Salutation”

On May 15, 2023, at 5:39 PM, (name withheld) wrote:

Blessed day doesn’t mean “jackshit” here in middle Georgia. I’m 100% VA disabled & we needed a general contractor to modify our new home so I could move around into our bedroom and bath. Al three contractors told me to have a blessed day when I clled/contacted them for bids. Two never showed to even assess the work needed & the one who did show we signed a contract with. That was back 2nd week of April when we signed contract & gave him adown payment. He has had workers here twice since then who worked a total of seven hours. I’m beginning to believe that “have a blessed day” is actually the old “sin loi m’fer” we guys in Vietnam used to say, only in disguise. 

(name withheld)
“MRFF Demands Air Force Gate Guards Immediately Cease ‘Have a Blessed Day’ Coded Christian Salutation”

From: (name withheld)
Date: May 15, 2023 at 5:25:37 PM MDT
Subject: Re: MRFF Demands Air Force Gate Guards Immediately Cease “Have a Blessed Day” Coded Christian Salutation

Your important work is much appreciated. It makes me somehow believe that the United States is not yet a Christian nation!! When anyone says that crap to me, I tell them not to. That I consider it a meaningless – even divisive – slogan meant to persecute non-christians. I recently started wearing a necklace that in Hebrew means REVENGE. It says what I feel. Thanks for your great emails explaining the issues and your incredibly effective responses.

(name withheld)
“Air Force ‘Have a Bless day’”

From: (name withheld)
Subject: Air Force “Have a Bless day”
Date: May 15, 2023 at 4:35:41 PM MDT

First off I don’t give permission to use my name or information. But I have to say something about this one. A while back I asked a question about a got good advice on it. Since then I have gotten to know two local Rabbi who run two different temples here. Once a week we get together and talk about ways to help veterans and active service members from the community along with a couple of others. At the end we always have a prayer and the Rabbi always says to me as I leave “have a blessed day”. I never thought much about it but now you’re saying he Christian? Huh? Really? I’m sorry but I think you are looking for problems were none exist. This is not a problem worth your time I am sorry but it isn’t. Okay great get them to stop using it. How is the world a better for it? I looked this up DoD says 70% of the military is identified as Christian so you want to stop 70% from practicing religion?Alright then when tomorrow when the Rabbi offers the Ha’tov ve’hametiv for good news in our work I am going to tell him that he can no longer give that or any other blessing because it is Christian Nationalism and not right. 

(name withheld)

To see responses from
MRFF Founder and President Mikey Weinstein
and MRFF Senior Research Director Chris Rodda:
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