Military Association of Atheists & Freethinkers

1380 Monroe St NW PMB 505, Washington, DC 20010 (202) 656-6223 | community@militaryatheists.org FIGHTING FOR THE FREEDOMS WE DEFEND

militaryatheists.org

07Nov2012

CouncilMembersandCitizens CityofLakeElsinore

Subject:ASectarianMemorial/MonumentDishonorsManyVeterans
Iamwritingonbehalfofmilitarymenandwomenwhohaveservedourcountryinallbranches ofserviceandallconflictsofournation,andIaskthatyouensurenoreligioussymbolismorsectarian biasbeincludedintheproposedorfuturemonumentsapprovedbyCityCouncil. TheMilitaryAssociationofAtheists&Freethinkersrepresentsnontheistswhohaveservedthe UnitedStatesthroughouthistoryuptothepresentconflicts.Thosewhorepresentourserviceinclude PatTillman,AfghanistanwarArmyRangerandfootballplayer,HansKasten,WWIIPOWleader,Kurt Vonnegut,WWIIPOWandauthor,TedWilliams,WWIIVeteranandbaseballplayer,SherwinWine, FounderofHumanisticJudaism,andRobertIngersoll,whoraisedaRegimentintheCivilWar.Over200 currentandpriormilitarypersonnelfromallbranchesofservicehavepostedpublic"atheistsin foxholes"profilesonoursite,andourtotalmembershipspreadsovermorethan400military installationsandshipsworldwide. WeareMarinesandSoldiersandAirmenandSailors.Wearecombatveterans.Ourmembers alsoincludeWorldWarIIveterans,thoughfewerthaninyearspast.IamaWestPointgraduateandIraq veteran.WhyshouldourservicebemarginalizedbytheCouncil?Areaflagandeaglenotenough?Why mustadivisiveandreligioussymbolmaranotherwisenobleefforttohonorveterans? Toplaceacrossorotherreligioussymbolonamemorialforveteransisaslapinthefacetoour service.SuchanactbytheCityofLakeElsinoregivesofficialsanctiontoChristianityoverallother beliefs.AddingaStarofDavidwouldserveonlytopatronizeJewishpersonnelandtofurtheremphasize thatworshipofamonotheisticGodis"approved"forcitizensandthatallothersaresecondclass.The suggestionthattheWWIIsoldierjustifiesChristianandJewishsymbolismsuggeststhecouncilwouldlike toreturntoatimewhenourforcesweresegregatedbyraceandwhenMuslims,Buddhists,Hindus,and atheistswereaffordednoaccommodationwhatsoever.ThePledgeofAllegiancedidnotincludethe phrase"UnderGod"andourmottowasnot"InGodWeTrust".WouldtheCouncildaretooffend monumentsupportersbyputtingthePledgeonthemonumentless"UnderGod"withtheexcusethatit wasauthentictotheperiod?Thatwouldbetruetohistorybutitwouldinfuriatethosetryingto promotetheirbeliefs.Atheists,humanists,andothernonChristiansservetheircountryandgivethe ultimatesacrificewithnolessdignitythanbelievers.Theonlyoptionforthecouncilistohonorall serviceequally,withAmericanratherthansectarianimageryandvalues. CitizensandcouncilmembersofLakeElsinoreshouldnotbefooledintothinkingthisisasimple questionofsupportingveterans.ThroughoutthecountryinNorthCarolina,Montana,Maryland,and severalCalifornialocations,Christiansareattemptingtodefendcrossesandshrinesongovernmentland

militaryatheists.org

asawaytopromotetheirreligion.Jewishindividualsandorganizationsareoccasionallycomplicitinthe relativelyrecentpoliticalmechanismsof"JudeoChristianvalues".TheConstitutionourmilitarymenand womenhavesworntodefendprohibitssuchanestablishmentofreligioningovernment.LakeElsinoreis thenewestgovernmentbodybeingexploitedtoexpandChristianprivilegeingovernment.This Christianizationofourwarmemorialsisanissueofstolenvalorasstarkasanyfalseclaimofmilitary awards. Thisisnotareligiousissue,thisisanaccuratehistoricaldepictionofaWorldWarIIsoldier, [Councilwoman]Melendezwasquotedassaying.Wearenotmakingareligiousstatement;thatsnot whatthisisabout.Itwouldbesomucheasiertosimplyremovetheunnecessarysymbolism.Ifthisis notaboutreligion,thenacross(andstar)shouldnotbeonthemonument.IfChristianswishtohonor servicemembersingeneralortohonorjustChristianservicemembers,thentheyshoulddosoontheir personalorchurchproperty.MAAFwouldapplaudsuchamonumentbecauseweaffirmreligious freedomandsupportforveterans.Butthismonumentoncitylandwithcityapprovalisnothingmore thangovernmentestablishmentofreligion. MAAFisnotrepresentingalegalactionwiththisletter,butthebriefestreviewofcasehistory willshowsectariansymbolsinorasmemorialsarebeingchallengedthroughoutthecountry.TheLake ElsinoreCouncilwillbewrong,legallyandethically,iftheyerectasectarianshrineundertheguiseofa warmemorial.TheCityCouncilwillexposetaxpayerdollarstolegalfeesandexposeitselftoridiculefor selfservinggovernance.ConservativeandChristianveteransmayadvocateforaChristianmemorialand viscerallydenouncethevoicesofreasonwhopointtotheConstitutionandthediversityofourmilitary. Councilmembersshouldrememberthattheyhavebeenputinthisdifficultandactionablepositionby Christianspecialinterests.Thehardandhonorablefightisonethatresistsspecialinterestsintheservice ofdiversityandequalityforthemarginalizedminorityofnonChristiansservicememberswhodeserve equalrecognition. TaketimetowatchthePBSdocumentaryBerga.WatchthestoryofHansKasten,foxholeatheist andjustaPrivateatthetime,whowaselectedbyhispeerstoleadotherPrisonersofWar.Hestoodup tohisNazicaptorsbyrefusingtogiveupJewishprisoners.Hewasbeatenbutstillrefusedtobetrayhis fellowsoldiers,whatevertheirbeliefs.HewasamemberofMAAFandtravelledtoWashington,DCin 2005toaddressgatheredveteransabouthisvaluesandhowimportantitwastohaverecognitionofour service.HetalkedabouthowimportantitwasforourmilitarytomovebeyondassumedChristian monocultureandtoembracediversity.OurFreedomhasbeendefendedbyChristiansandJews, WiccansandBuddhists,BlacksandWhites,MenandWomenandatheists.Honormilitaryserviceby honoringallveterans,notjustthosewhohappentosharethebeliefsofthemajority. Provethatthismemorialisn'taboutreligion.Don'tbestrongarmedbyspecialinterests.Make thelegalchoicethathonorsallourveterans.It'sasimplechangethatwillstillmakeforawonderful monument:

militaryatheists.org

Jason Torpy President, Military Association of Atheists & Freethinkers

References: Similarreligiousveteransmemorials:http://militaryatheists.org/advocacy/stolenvalor/ Profilesofatheistsinfoxholes:http://militaryatheists.org/atheistsinfoxholes/ Lessthan70%ofourmilitaryselfidentifiesasChristian:http://militaryatheists.org/demographics/