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“MRFF Action Leads to ‘Anti-Satan’ Sign
Being Taken Down by VBA Supervisor”
From: (MRFF client’s e-mail address withheld)
Subject: MRFF Action Leads to “Anti-Satan” Sign Being Taken Down by VBA Supervisor
Date: January 13, 2024 at 5:51:49 PM MST
To: Mikey Weinstein <mikey@militaryreligiousfreedom.org>
Dear Mikey and the MRFF,
I am writing this letter of extreme appreciation for the battle-ready folks down at the MRFF. My name is (name withheld) and I am an honorably discharged Air Force Veteran currently serving our veterans as an employee of the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) here in (city name and state withheld). I previously served as a Military Sexual Trauma coordinator where assisting veterans during their most difficult times of crises was my top priority. I now currently serve on the rating board where I take great pride in continuing my services to our veterans.
In what was already a hostile situation with my immediate supervisor for previous non-religious reasons, my situation became even worse when she invited me to her office for a discussion. This is where I first noticed she had a "Not Today, Satan. Not Today.” sign sitting on top of her desk for everyone to see. The sign itself was positioned in such a way that it was physically directed at anyone sitting in the guest chair across from her desk. As an honorably discharged veteran who subscribes to many non-theist teachings (including Satanist), my previous hostile situation with my immediate supervisor was escalated to the max. Especially after learning from other co-workers that she has actually has had this sign up in her office for at least the past year with not a single care from upper management.
A passionate and deeply emotional email was sent to my supervisor describing my feelings towards her and it. Subsequently, this resulted in upper management getting involved. I received an email from upper management requesting a meeting wherein I would be questioned. Untrusting of upper management due to this situation, I took this response email as a threat. It at this moment that I reached out to Mikey and the MRFF along with my local Union requesting assistance in this hostile situation. Within minutes, Mikey contacted me directly. He was able to calm my painful emotions, agreed to serve as my civil rights counsel, and offered to assist me at no charge in getting this grotesque Christian supremacist sign taken down from my supervisor's desk.
I then responded to upper management's email notifying them that my story has caught the attention of Mikey Weinstein and the MRFF who has a long history of winning against religious discrimination in our military and VA facilities. After accepting the meeting invite from upper management, Mikey personally accompanied me with my Union via telephone during its duration. After Mikey's powerful introduction and statements, it was with great joy and excitement that we learned her "Not Today, Satan. Not Today." sign was immediately removed with absolutely no resistance whatsoever from my hostile Christian supervisor. The (city name withheld) VBA upper management is also now considering bringing in more cultural sensitivity awareness training, moving me to a new supervisor, and sending an apology email to my entire team at the VBA in (city name and state withheld).
For anyone out there in the military or VA experiencing religiously-motivated hostility from your supervisors, please know that Mikey Weinstein and his organization MRFF is an extremely effective and powerful ally. Thanks MRFF, I needed you and you were there for me.
Your friend and ally,
(MRFF client’s name and all other ID withheld)
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