An atheist attorney who makes headline-grabbing accusations about religious expression in the U.S. military has picked a new target: graveside wreaths.
Mikey Weinstein, a U.S. Air Force veteran who leads the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, has picked a battle with Wreaths Across America, a non-profit national organization that places Christmas wreaths on military graves with help from volunteers.
According to the group’s website, that annual observance falls on Saturday, December 18, and it appears Weinstein and his group have gotten ahead of the event and are accusing the group of laying wreaths on Jewish graves. The group, however, says its policy forbids that.
Weinstein, who says he is Jewish, took his complaints to a Colorado newspaper, The Colorado Springs Gazette, where he compared the wreaths and bows (pictured above) to a “fundamentalist Christian gang sign” if placed on the grave of a deceased Jewish veteran.
Military grave headstones are traditionally marked with a cross, or with a Star of David, and the atheist attorney and his group have demanded in past years that the wreath-laying group skip Jewish gravestones, the Gazette said.
Weinstein, who has a history of making bombastic and even violent comments about Christianity, called a wreath placed on a Jewish-marked headstone “unconstitutional, an atrocity, and a disgrace.”
He also told the Gazette his group has received “thousands of grievances” over the years about the wreaths and an “overwhelming number of complaints” this year, too.
The newspaper story balanced Weinstein’s claims with inquiries to nearby veterans’ cemeteries. A spokesman for Fort Logan said there has never been any complaints about the 12,000 wreaths that are placed on headstones there. A spokesman for the Colorado Springs-based U.S. Air Force Academy said there are 1,350 gravesites there and any request to opt out is honored. There has never been a request to do so, however, a mortuary affairs officer told the Gazette.
The newspaper story also points out the written policy of Wreaths Across America is to “pause and pay our respects” at a Star of David headstone and to not place a wreath there out of respect for Jewish beliefs.
Weinstein and his group produced a photo they said was taken in 2017 that shows a wreath was laid at a Jewish headstone.
Responding to Weinstein’s latest accusations, First Liberty Institute attorney Mike Berry calls it “outrageous and ridiculous” for the atheist attorney to target a non-profit group whose purpose is honoring and respecting military veterans.
Berry, who is himself a military veteran, has fought Weinstein’s heated accusations lawsuit threats in court for several years. He says First Liberty will represent Wreaths Across America if necessary.
“We’ve stood up to [Weinstein] numerous times,” Berry says. “We’ve beat him in the past and we’re happy to beat him again.”
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Copyright American Family News. Reprinted with permission.
Mikey Weinstein. As long as he has money to keep fighting the Constitution he’ll do it. I wonder what makes him hate God so much.
If confused guys like him loved God, they would have to hate themselves for bearing his opposite image in life, with regrets too late when the grim reaper comes knocking at the door and he is at home in bed inside what he thinks is his safe foxhole.
“There is no hole so deep that God is not deeper still” – Corrie Ten Boom
AND if as he claims, he is a DEVOUT jew, HOW THE HELL can he hate god so much???
Obviously, this clown has not heard the expression “the are no atheists in foxholes” ,,,apparently just ?-hole lawyers in government who are foxy. The origins of the meaning of wreaths go back to pre-Christian eras of secular paganism where he should feel right at home. This atheist insister of wreath removals actually fears that Jews and Christians might unite and defeat his own religion of secular socialism as the prominent spiritual American ideology/theology. He calls that a gang, all the while ignoring the gang banging going on in his own warped socialist Democrat party of criminals, thieves, anarchists and anti-Christs. He who only seeks to separate the good from the good, the lambs of God from the Protective Rams, should spend more time separating the good from the evil in his own party to empower it to again contribute to making America Great Again, like the Democrats of old pre-Obama used to.
AND How can he be BOTH AN ATHEIST and a jew?
He’s a libtard.. whad ja’ expect. The insanity of it is, the circular shape of the reef represents the creator of all things (how ever you personally view it God or what have you) that has no beginning or end. It has no official “religious” belonging. So this jackass is way off base. Besides… I don’t understand why these Godless people get so offended and worked up over something they insist doesn’t exist … perhaps subconscious guilt.
Atheist by choice, Jewish by DNA. You would be surprised how many Jew hating people have Jewish ancestry and don’t even know it. Hitler knew it but chose to hide it so he could make others the fall guys. They say that people who have not defined ear lobes have a good chance of having some Jewish DNA, Kind of like the Arabs and the hooked King Faisal nose shared by Atilla the Hun. Many Germans have both.
That’s something i’ve never understood myself.. WHY SO many folks, who REFUSE TO acknowledge god exists, GETS SO WORKED UP, when others mention his name/chose to honor him.
“Wreaths Across America, a non-profit national organization that places Christmas wreaths on military graves”
What does a Christmas wreath symbolize?
Together, the circular shape and the evergreen material make the wreath a representation of eternal life. It is also a representation of faith.
Weinstein, who has a history of making bombastic and even violent comments about Christianity, called a wreath placed on a Jewish-marked headstone “unconstitutional, an atrocity, and a disgrace.”
Weinstein is a hateful, disgraceful Democrat. If this hateful fool didn’t have this putting wreaths on Jewish graves to whine about, Weinstein is a hateful, disgraceful Democrat would whine about discrimination if the Jewish graves were not given a wreath.
They that hate GOD, serve Satan.
“Weinstein and his group produced a photo they said was taken in 2017 that shows a wreath was laid at a Jewish headstone.”
Sounds like a four year old hoax!
Is it impossible that some anti-wreather moved a wreathe to a Jewish grave and took a picture.
ITS not only possible, but VERY LIKELY That is wht happened.
Hey… If ANYONE objects to a wreath on THEIR grave, all they (themselves) have to do is inform the military “brass” of that fact (in triplicate)!
How DARE YOU speak for anyone else?
Do YOU have a signed declaration from one of the veterans receiving a wreath (against their will) indicating that they DO NOT want a wreath to be placed on their grave?
If not, you can GO POUND SAND!
I agree, however it would have to come from a relative, not the veteran.
“Weinstein, who has a history of making bombastic and even violent comments about Christianity, called a wreath placed on a Jewish-marked headstone “unconstitutional, an atrocity, and a disgrace.”
Mr Weinstein, you won’t have to worry about one being placed on yours because we will all be elated when you’re gone. Or, maybe we could do one adorned with dingleberries.
THe only thing i think people will want to place on his grave, is a NICE STEAMING Pile of cow feces
The wreaths are a way of saying thank you for your service and Sacrifice . God bless you
That would take a long time to put the “appropriate” items on Weinstein’s grave, as the line to put them on would be miles long!
Hey Mikey, I’m a vet an d so was my Dad (WWII). If someone places a Christian wreath on my Dad’s grave and you find it offensive, fine. But, if someone removes it and points to you for their inspiration, I’m gonna sue you too.
While a wreath CAN have religious significance to someone it can also be considered a winter decoration since it is simply a circle of evergreens (the only trees that have color in the winter) and a red bow.
Heck, if someone was a Communist they could interpret it as the never ending strength of the Communist party and the red bow for the color associated with Communism. It’s all in the interpretation.
If someone has an issue with it they can opt out. End of story.
I’ve known a # of atheists over the years, and even THEY STILL put up xmas decorations, INCLUDING Wreath on their door..