Monday, April 4, 2016
MRFF TOUR de FORCE VICTORY - SECOND V.A. CLINIC REMOVES BIBLE FROM POW/MIA "MISSING MAN" MEMORIAL DISPLAY
Youngstown V.A. Outpatient Clinic Finally Does the Right Thing
Statement by Mikey Weinstein, MRFF Founder and President
"The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) heartily commends the Veterans Administration (VA) senior staff at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center for finally forcing the constitutionally-derelict and recalcitrant head of the Youngstown VA facility to completely remove the Christian bible from its POW/MIA "Missing Man" Memorial display and replacing it with a generic "prop book" with no words in it. No longer will the Christian faith, to the exclusion of ALL other faiths and no faith, be allowed to wear the special "VA Seal of Approval" at this POW/MIA memorial at the Youngstown Community-Based Outpatient Clinic.
In this matter at the Youngstown Community-Based Outpatient Clinic, MRFF is representing 22 highly decorated and severely injured veteran clients and their supportive families, 17 of whom are active practitioners of either the Protestant or Roman Catholics faiths. This triumphant endeavor at the Youngstown Community-Based Outpatient Clinic is the second such successful victory for MRFF, and its VA medical patient clients, coming close behind MRFF’s similar victory on February, 25, 2016 in getting the Christian bible removed from another POW/MIA display recently at the Akron, Ohio Specialty Outpatient Clinic.
We are thrilled for our VA patient MRFF clients and for the United States Constitution!"
MRFF's Director of Veteran's Affairs Capt. Jordan Ray, Ret. received official notification from Chief, External Affairs, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Ms. Kristen Parker at 2:18 PM EDT, Today, April 4, 2016, that the bible would be removed
On Apr 4, 2016 2:18 PM EST, "Parker, Kristen M. (VHACLE)" wrote:
Mr. Ray,
Thank you for reaching out to us with your concerns regarding the POW/MIA Table at our Youngstown Community-Based Outpatient Clinic. Please know there is no longer a bible on the table. It was replaced with a generic book, one whose symbolism can be individualized by each of our Veterans as they pay their respects to those Prisoners of War and Missing in Action.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
V/r,
Kristen
Kristen Parker
Chief, External Affairs
Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
From: Jordan Ray
Sent: Monday, April 04, 2016 2:28 EDT PM
To: Parker, Kristen M. (VHACLE)
Subject: Re: Youngstown POW/MIA Table Request
Kristen,
Thank you for your action and reply.
When I filed this complaint, it was as a lone individual and Veteran. Since the time this complaint was filed, I have become the volunteer Director of Veterans Affairs for the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.
Can you please elaborate on what book exactly is being used, title / author and if at all possible so as a 100% combat disabled veteran who has difficulty driving, I do not have to drive an hour and a half round trip to Youngstown, can you please provide me with the photo graph of the new book on the table.
Thank you once again for taking Swift action and upholding the Constitution of the United States.
Captain Jordan Ray
U.S. Army, Retired
From: "Parker, Kristen M. (VHACLE)"
Subject: RE: [EXTERNAL] Re: Youngstown POW/MIA Table Request
Date: April 4, 2016 at 2:23:30 PM MDT
To:
Mr. Ray and Mr. Weinstein,
As a follow-up to your phone call, please know you have permission to use the photos as they are public domain. Separately, I was able to determine that the book is a prop book, with no words inside.
V/r,
Kristen
Letter of Gratitude from MRFF Client and New MRFF Director of Veteran's Affairs, Captain Jordan Ray, Ret.
From: Jordan Ray
Subject: MRFF Thanks
Date: April 4, 2016 at 4:53:39 PM MDT
To: Mikey Weinstein
I would like to take this opportunity to thank MRFF for not one, but two occurances, on two separate occasions where Mikey and his Foundation MRFF had stepped in on my behalf as a client to stop Governmental religious promotion within the Department of Veteran's Affairs.
Without MRFFs loud and clear voice to let the oppressed and silenced minority faiths and ideologies be heard, we would continue to be outsiders in our own towns, cities, States and country, remaining intimidated and beat down by the Conservative far right.
MRFF has been so successful where others have not been, or wouldn't even try.
I could list a dozen organizations who claim their mandate is to deal with religious discrimination and oppression, yet wouldn't even speak up in the slightest, none the less take action. I know this very well, as I reached out to all of their deaf ears and head in the sand blindness.
MRFF has been such an American Soldier's champion that I myself got involved with MRFF, and could not be more proud.
The Evangelical and Fundamentalist storm is coming.
Soldier's rights will continue to be trampled.
Soldiers/Veterans..... fear not!
Contact us!
MRFF, and others like myself, will be standing on the front lines ready to defend the American Constitution, and you. That is our commitment and solemn promise.
Sincerely,
Jordan Ray
Captain, U.S. Army
Retired
Director, Veteran's Affairs for Military Religious Freedom Foundation
FOX NEWS OPINION PIECE
SLAMS MRFF & MIKEY
JUST HOURS BEFORE VICTORY
Latest attack on POW/MIA
religious symbol is cruel
Monday, April 4, 2016
"Michael 'Mikey' Weinstein, founder and president of the deceptively-named Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), demanded an Akron, Ohio VA clinic remove the Bible from its POW/MIA remembrance table. This isn't the first time the MRFF has targeted a symbol of faith for our nation's POWs and MIAs. In 2014, it attacked remembrance tables in the Air Force and Navy."
MRFF's Inbox
We receive an enormous amount of emails at the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, both from our supporters and detractors. Through "MRFF's Inbox," we share some of these emails with you.
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