Tuesday Afternoon, May 23, 2023
17 REPUBLICAN CONGRESS MEMBERS
WRITE TO VA SECRETARY DEMANDING
CHRISTIAN CROSS THAT MRFF GOT REMOVED
FROM VA CLINIC LOBBY BE PUT BACK


Two months ago, 19 veterans who receive medical care at the
Austin VA Clinic in Texas asked MRFF to help them get a large, prominently displayed cross removed from the facility. The large cross, made up of copies of the military branch emblems arranged into the shape of a Christian cross, dominated a seating area in the first floor lobby of the building, sending the message that our military is Christian and only Christian veterans matter.

Within 90 minutes of Mikey Weinstein's demand
that the cross be removed, it was gone.

But now a group of 17 Christian nationalist Republican Congress members are trying to get the cross put back up, claiming in a letter to the VA Secretary Denis R. McDonough that "Attempts to sterilize the public square – in this case a clinic that provides medical care to the veterans that sacrificed for our Republic – of all symbols of Christianity flies in the face of the very founding of our nation."

Story covered by FOX NEWS and NEWSMAX
Before and after photos of Austin VA Clinic lobby showing that cross is gone
MRFF OP-ED
ON DAILY KOS

#2 Trending story on Daily Kos

17 GOP reps write to VA secretary — want cross that MRFF got removed from VA clinic lobby put back

By: MRFF Senior Research Director Chris Rodda

Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Chris Rodda
Just over two months ago, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), acting on behalf of nineteen veterans who receive medical care at the Austin VA Clinic in Texas, got a large, prominently displayed cross removed from the facility’s lobby. The very large cross, made up of rough copies of the military branch emblems arranged into the shape of a Christian cross, sending the message that our military is a Christian military and only Christian veterans matter, dominated a seating area in the first floor lobby of the building, where veterans of all religions and none are treated.

As one of the veterans who wanted the cross removed wrote to MRFF:

“As a Jew I find this offensive, especially given that none of the other 28 religious symbols identified by Wikipedia are given the same prominent display. I would wager that whoever authorized the placement of the cross would be quite reluctant to display a Satanic symbol if they were offered one.”
And another, a Christian, wrote:

“I am alive today because my battle buddy, (name withheld), took two bullets meant for me in a nasty fire fight one night. He is a fully enrolled member of the (Native American tribe name and location withheld) tribe from the state of (U.S. state name withheld). He survived but lost one of his legs where the bullets hit. I owe him my life.

“I watched my battle buddy take a load of crap for not being a Christian like me and most of our unit. When I walk into the lobby of the Austin VA clinic and see that cross hanging there I think of (name withheld) all the time. It makes me feel awful and I should have stood up before. My battle buddy would have wanted me to and I know I should have.”
As I wrote in my previous post, this large, prominently displayed, unavoidable Christian cross was in violation of the VA’s own regulations regarding religious displays, such as VA Directive 0022, "Religious Symbols in VA Facilities," January 31, 2020, which states (emphasis added):

2. POLICY. Religious symbols may be included in a passive display, including a holiday display, in public areas of VA facilities (see subsection a. below), if the display is of the type that follows in the longstanding tradition of monuments, symbols and practices that simply recognize the important role that religion plays in the lives of many Americans. Such displays should respect and tolerate differing views and should not elevate one belief system over others. …

b. VA is committed to inclusivity and nondiscrimination and evaluates all displays in public areas on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the policy stated above. VA particularly encourages the placement of diverse religious symbols together in passive displays in public areas.
This cross would not even be allowed as a permanent display in a VA facility chapel, let alone a lobby seating area. VA medical facility chapels are required to be “religiously neutral” at all times when there is not an actual service taking place for a particular faith group, as is clearly stated in VHA Directive 1111, “Spiritual Care,” July 21, 2021 (emphasis added):

9. CHAPELS AND OTHER WORSHIP FACILITIES

a. Chapels. The chapel, or a room set aside exclusively for use as a chapel, must be reserved for patients’ spiritual activities, such as: worship, prayer, meditation and quiet contemplation. Such chapels are appointed and maintained as places for meditation and worship. When VA chaplains are not providing or facilitating a religious service for a particular faith group, the chapel must be maintained as religiously neutral, meaning it cannot be viewed as endorsing one religion over another. Religious literature, content and symbols must be made readily accessible to VA patients and visitors in a chapel or Chaplain Service office at their request. The only exception to the policy on maintaining chapels as religiously neutral are the chapels at VA medical facilities which were built with permanent religious symbols in the walls or windows. In these cases, the VA medical facility Director must also designate an appropriately sized room or construct a religiously neutral chapel, which is maintained in accordance with this VHA directive and VA Space Planning Criteria …
MRFF was successful in getting the cross removed. Within 90 minutes of Mikey Weinstein sending a demand that it be removed, the cross was gone.

But now, two months later, a group of seventeen Christian nationalist Republican Congress members want this symbol of THEIR religion put back on display. As reported by Fox News in an article titled "House Republicans blast Texas VA hospital after removal of cross-shaped 'Remember Our Veterans’ display,” the seventeen Republicans, led by Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), have written the following letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis R. McDonough:

May 22, 2023

The Honorable Denis R. McDonough 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
810 Vermont Ave NW Washington, DC 20420

Dear Secretary McDonough,

We write to express our deep concerns regarding the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System’s (CTVHCS) decision to remove a cross bearing the emblems of our military branches and the words, “Remember our Veterans” from the lobby of a clinic in Austin, Texas. Reports indicate CTVHCS took this step following a complaint that the display somehow violated the U.S. Constitution. CTVHCS’s decision exhibits remarkable disregard for the First Amendment and hostility toward basic military history and the traditions of the United States. We call on you to immediately reverse this decision.

From the Distinguished Service Cross established in 1918 to the Air Force Cross in 1960, our country has used the symbol of the cross to honor U.S. military personnel for over a century. Arlington National Cemetery is also home to at least two beloved cross memorials to the nation’s fallen: the Argonne Cross, dedicated in 1923, and the Canadian Cross of Sacrifice, dedicated in 1927. If a cross can adorn the uniforms of the most heroic among us and can stand on the hallowed grounds of Arlington it certainly should be welcomed and honored at the VA clinic in Austin.

The greatest members of our founding understood that the religious and moral nature of America’s heritage was critical to this Republic’s preservation and to our veterans and men and women in the Armed Forces. America’s first President George Washington famously said, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports.” As Commander in Chief of the Continental Army years before, he similarly implored his troops, “While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of Religion.” Attempts to sterilize the public square – in this case a clinic that provides medical care to the veterans that sacrificed for our Republic – of all symbols of Christianity flies in the face of the very founding of our nation.

Out of reverence for our country’s military history and longstanding traditions — out of respect for the veterans who have borne the battle for this Republic, its principles, and the freedom it guards — we request that you immediately return the cross to its original display. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. 
You want to quote George Washington? Well how about what he wrote on behalf of his generals in 1777 when the Continental Congress wanted to cut the number of chaplains from one per regiment to one per brigade, an act that would put many regiments under chaplains who were not of similar beliefs to the Soldiers (emphasis added):

“It has been suggested, that it has a tendency to introduce religious disputes into the Army, which above all things should be avoided, and in many instances would compel men to a mode of Worship which they do not profess. The old Establishment gives every Regiment an Opportunity of having a Chaplain of their own religious Sentiments, it is founded on a plan of a more generous toleration, and the choice of the Chaplains to officiate, has been generally in the Regiments. Supposing one Chaplain could do the duties of a Brigade, (which supposition However is inadmissible, when we view things in practice) that being composed of four or five, perhaps in some instances, Six Regiments, there might be so many different modes of Worship. I have mentioned the Opinion of the Officers and these hints to Congress upon this Subject; from a principle of duty and because I am well assured, it is most foreign to their wishes or intention to excite by any act, the smallest uneasiness and jealousy among the Troops.” 
Washington and his generals worried about the “smallest uneasiness” over religion. Anything with a tendency to cause religious disputes “above all things should be avoided.”

Overtly Christian displays like a great big cross in the lobby of a VA clinic cause more than the “smallest uneasiness” among non-Christian veterans, as well as some Christian veterans. The Austin VA Clinic, which did the right thing in removing the cross, and the Secretary of the VA should heed the words of George Washington, not to mention the VA’s own regulations, and ignore this group of Congressional Christian crusaders.
FOX NEWS
COVERS MRFF

House Republicans blast Texas
VA hospital after removal of cross-shaped 'Remember Our Veterans' display

By: Brianna Herlihy

Monday, May 22, 2023
Fox News yesterday broke the story of the 17 GOP Congress members’ letter to VA Secretary McDonough imploring him to have the cross returned to the Austin VA Clinic’s lobby, quoting liberally from the letter.

Fox later added some quotes from Mikey Weinstein’s March 20 email to Michael L. Kiefer, Director for the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, which successfully got the cross removed.

From the article (emphasis added):

"Michael 'Mikey' Weinstein, president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), sent the initial complaint to the clinic calling the cross display an 'outrageous, continuous, hostile and notorious display of a sectarian Christian symbol,' adding that the 'utter exclusion of all other faith and non-faith traditions, viciously violates the No Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution, its construing Federal caselaw as well as your OWN VA REGULATIONS which are quite clear and dispositive on this matter.'" 
NEWSMAX
COVERS MRFF

House GOP Members Rip
Texas VA Clinic for 'Cross' Removal

By: Charles Kim

Monday, May 22, 2023
Newsmax unsurprisingly followed Fox News, putting out an article a few hours later about the 17 Congress members’ letter to Secretary McDonough, quoting from the Congress members’ letter: "CTVHCS's decision exhibits remarkable disregard for the First Amendment and hostility toward basic military history and the traditions of the United States. We call on you to immediately reverse this decision." 
Background on MRFF's March 20 victory in getting the cross removed from the Austin VA Clinic
MRFF Founder and President Mikey Weinstein's emailed letter to Michael L. Kiefer, Director for the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, demanding that the cross be removed

Monday, March 20, 2023

From: Michael L Weinstein <[email protected]>
Subject: Unconstitutional Civil Rights Violation at Austin, Texas VA Clinic
Date: March 20, 2023 at 10:03:06 AM MDT
To: Michael L. Kiefer

To: Michael L. Kiefer, Director for the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System

RE: Unconstitutional Civil Rights Violation at Austin, Texas VA Clinic

Director Kiefer, 

My name is Mikey Weinstein and I head up the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF).

MRFF is a large civil rights advocacy organization which is dedicated to insuring that its over 83,000 clients (about 95% of whom are practicing Christians), who are U.S. military personnel and veterans, receive the full benefit of their Constitutional civil rights. In this regard, MRFF ensures that legal separation exists, as to time, place and manner, between church and state in the DoD, the VA, the 17 National Intelligence agencies and several other Federal agencies which have oversight of military activities such as DHS (Coast Guard) and DOT (U.S. Maritime Service).

To the matter at hand, Director Kiefer and I won’t belabor the point. Please see the BREAKING news article below which will contain all of the salient particulars regarding a BLATANTLY unconstitutional violation by the Austin, Texas VA Clinic.


In this specific regard, sir, MRFF is presently representing 19 U.S. military veteran clients all of whom are patients at that Austin, Texas VA facility which is exclusively under YOUR personal responsibility, control and management. This MRFF client group comprises veterans who follow Jewish, Protestant, Muslim, Roman Catholic, Wiccan, Unitarian and Hindu faith traditions as well as agnostic, atheist, humanist and other secularist non-faith traditions.

This outrageous, continuous, hostile and notorious display of a sectarian Christian symbol, to the utter exclusion of all other faith and non-faith traditions, viciously violates the No Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution, its construing Federal caselaw as well as your OWN VA REGULATIONS which are quite clear and dispositive on this matter. 

This nonsecular display of Christian triumphalism and supremacy also visits a nontrivial amount of hurtful exclusion, marginalization, prejudice, hatred and bigotry upon our MRFF clients who came to us for help but concomitantly feared reprisal and retribution from you and your senior leadership if they brought the demand to remove the Christian crucifix in their own names to you.

MRFF demands, on behalf of our clients who are also your VA patients, that you IMMEDIATELY take down and permanently remove the divisive display of that unconstitutional Christian crucifix symbol!

Should you fail to do so in a timely fashion, MRFF will plan to expeditiously litigate the matter in Federal Court, seeking inter alia, both injunctive relief as well as a Writ of Mandamus to have the Court order you to follow your OWN VA regulations to swiftly remove the referenced publicly displayed Christian crucifix.

Before I close, Director Kiefer, let me put it to you this way; would you also grant approval for the precisely same type of partisan, sectarian display, as to time, place and manner, for the numerous religious and non-religious symbols of the literally DOZENS of other faith and non-faith traditions which are officially recognized by the VA?

You might want to prepare for an avalanche of such official requests should you fail to comply with the church/state separation mandates of the U.S. Constitution, as well as your crystal clear VA regulations, to remove that illicit, sectarian Christian cross.

MRFF will standby for your earliest response to our demands.

Sincerely,

Michael L. “Mikey” Weinstein, Esq.
Founder and President
Military Religious Freedom Foundation 
505-250-7727
A pair of 'thank you' emails from two of MRFF's
19 veteran clients upon their hearing that the
cross had been removed on March 20

From: (Veteran’s/MRFF Client’s name and email address withheld)
Date: March 20, 2023 at 1:42:06 PM MDT
To: Mikey Weinstein <[email protected]>
Subject: Christian Cross at Austin VA

Mikey Weinstein and the MRFF,

I want to reach out to personally thank you for how quickly you were able to have the giant cross at the Austin VA taken down. I was especially dismayed to see this huge cross displayed at a federal building that ostensibly serves ALL veterans - regardless of their faith. When I visit the VA building I am looking for medial support, not to be confronted with religious proselytizing. There was no subtlety in this display - with symbols of all branches of the military embedded into the garish cross of supposed Christianity - a clear message that only Christians are welcome. As an Air Force veteran with 16 years of active duty service, including 3 combat tours over Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan flying the mighty F-15E, I am continually disappointed to find instances in the military and other government institutions of overt preference towards the Christian faith. While it’s bad enough that the VA had this cross on display in a clearly non-religious setting, more telling is the lack of even the slightest mention or consideration of any other faith or non-faith. Shame on the Austin VA for not realizing the message being sent with this display and not acting until being approached by the MRFF.

The work of MRFF is so absolutely critical in the public defense of the basic separation of church and state. No other organization is able to respond as quickly and decisively as the MRFF! I continue to be a huge supporter of your work - keep it up!

Best,

(Name withheld)
USAF Veteran

From: (Veteran’s/MRFF Client’s name and email address withheld)
Subject: Thank You
Date: March 20, 2023 at 2:55:47 PM MDT
To: Mikey Weinstein <[email protected]>

Mr. Weinstein, I am writing to express my thanks and appreciation to you and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation for your efforts to remove the cross on prominent display in the lobby of the VA Clinic in Austin, TX. The government at all levels all too often feels the need to interject religion where it has no place.

I am all in favor of people practicing their religion, indeed, I wish more people would practice their religious principles, but I do not appreciate having other religions pushed at me.

Again, thank you for supporting Americans' religious freedom.

Regards,

(Name withheld)
MRFF is regularly contacted by veterans facing Christian supremacy at VA medical facilities
MRFF's Inbox
“Thank You”

From: (USAF Active Duty Officer’s/MRFF Client’s E-mail Address Withheld)
Subject: Thank You
Date: May 18, 2023 at 8:56:52 PM MDT
To: Michael L Weinstein

Mr. Weinstein, I am incredibly grateful for the assistance you provided me and the others who stood up for the Air Force Core Values and AFI 1-1. Your efforts truly made a significant impact, and I cannot thank you enough for going above and beyond to help us. It’s reassuring to know that there is an organization like MRFF and individuals like yourself who are willing to hold military leaders accountable for a complicit culture that fosters Christian Fundamentalism. After a long work day, I reached out to you late at night, and you promptly replied in less than 30 minutes. The next day was fact-finding, and by the end of that second day, you had engaged with the 316th Vice Wing Commander. This rapid response was impressive, and it shows how much MRFF cares about helping service members when they are in need to ensure that their constitutional Establishment Clause rights are not trampled upon. Additionally, you made it clear to the base leadership that “have a blessed day” violates AFI 1-1, by implicitly endorsing Christianity. Raising this awareness and the willingness to hold military leaders accountable will raise awareness and encourage more of our Service Members to speak up and take action against this type of behavior. 

Your assistance was a lifeline for me and my colleagues, and we cannot express our gratitude enough.

Thank you once again for your invaluable help.

(USAF Active Duty Officer’s/MRFF Client’s Name, Rank, AFSC, Unit and Installation all Withheld)
“Thank You”

From: (name withheld)
Subject: Thank You
Date: May 20, 2023 at 3:22:18 PM MDT
To: Michael L Weinstein 

My wife and and I just got back from a ten-day cruise celebrating our fortieth wedding anniversary, so I am just catching up on emails. I am so pleased that you were able to nip the Bible study on the Air Force base. I am totally amazed that anyone in a command position in any military service doesn’t understand just how wrong such actions are. Really hard to fathom. I also just saw Sen. Tuberville’s comments about Christian nationalists are just patriotic Americans. Having worked as a Senate staffer, I can testify that some who get elected to office are low intelligence, and Tuberville seems to fall into that category. He was a mediocre football coach for Auburn University, but that was apparently enough to get him elected to the Senate from Alabama. I worked for the likes of Lloyd Bentsen and John Glenn, so I know what real Senators should be like. Tuberville is not one of them. Keep up the great work, Mikey. I’ve got your back for as long as I breathe.

(name withheld)
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