Friday, May 20, 2005
Academy graduate says Weida views him as ‘Jew first’
An Air Force Academy graduate who accused the school of religious intolerance said he was insulted when the academy’s No. 2 commander wrote to him in Hebrew, and said the letters show the commander “sees me as a Jew first.”
Mike Weinstein, a 1977 academy graduate, said he got the letters this month from Brig. Gen. Gen. Johnny Weida, the school’s commandant of cadets. Weinstein called the letters “bizarre in the extreme.”
Weida, who describes himself as a born-again Christian, has been the subject of complaints that he improperly mixes religion with his official duties. An Air Force task force is investigating allegations that cadets were pressured to attend religious services, public prayers were held before official events and Jewish cadets were harassed and insulted.
Academy spokesman Johnny Whitaker said Weida sent the letters “to reach out to Mr. Weinstein in the hope that we can work together to deal with the religious respect issues and programs at the academy of which Mr. Weinstein has been so critical.”
Weinstein, of Albuquerque, N.M., told The Gazette newspaper in Colorado Springs that Weida sent him a May 12 letter including the phrase “Shalom Aleichem,” or “peace to you.”
After he got the letter, Weinstein said, he called Weida’s secretary and said, “We’re at war.”
Weinstein said Weida responded with a second letter saying he hoped they would not be at war and wrote in Hebrew, “May this be the beginning activity for the good of the Air Force Academy. Peace to you.”
Weinstein said he does not speak Hebrew and had the phrases translated by his rabbi.
“Why does he have to cloud it in an ancient language that almost no Jew is conversant in?” he said. “Oh yeah. That’s right. Because he sees me as a Jew first.”
Weinstein said his son Curtis, a student at the academy, has been called a Christ-killer by evangelical Christian cadets.
The Air Force announced the task force inquiry on May 3 after cadets lodged dozens of complaints in internal surveys. The group is expected to submit its report to Acting Air Force Secretary Michael L. Dominguez on Monday.
An Air Force Academy graduate who accused the school of religious intolerance said he was insulted when the academy’s No. 2 commander wrote to him in Hebrew, and said the letters show the commander “sees me as a Jew first.”
Mike Weinstein, a 1977 academy graduate, said he got the letters this month from Brig. Gen. Gen. Johnny Weida, the school’s commandant of cadets. Weinstein called the letters “bizarre in the extreme.”
Weida, who describes himself as a born-again Christian, has been the subject of complaints that he improperly mixes religion with his official duties. An Air Force task force is investigating allegations that cadets were pressured to attend religious services, public prayers were held before official events and Jewish cadets were harassed and insulted.
Academy spokesman Johnny Whitaker said Weida sent the letters “to reach out to Mr. Weinstein in the hope that we can work together to deal with the religious respect issues and programs at the academy of which Mr. Weinstein has been so critical.”
Weinstein, of Albuquerque, N.M., told The Gazette newspaper in Colorado Springs that Weida sent him a May 12 letter including the phrase “Shalom Aleichem,” or “peace to you.”
After he got the letter, Weinstein said, he called Weida’s secretary and said, “We’re at war.”
Weinstein said Weida responded with a second letter saying he hoped they would not be at war and wrote in Hebrew, “May this be the beginning activity for the good of the Air Force Academy. Peace to you.”
Weinstein said he does not speak Hebrew and had the phrases translated by his rabbi.
“Why does he have to cloud it in an ancient language that almost no Jew is conversant in?” he said. “Oh yeah. That’s right. Because he sees me as a Jew first.”
Weinstein said his son Curtis, a student at the academy, has been called a Christ-killer by evangelical Christian cadets.
The Air Force announced the task force inquiry on May 3 after cadets lodged dozens of complaints in internal surveys. The group is expected to submit its report to Acting Air Force Secretary Michael L. Dominguez on Monday.
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