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PRESS RELEASE Wednesday, June 1, 2016 Contact Bekki Miller | (337) 356-8696 [email protected] VICTORY WITHIN 23 HOURS:

MRFF's "NO BOYKIN" DEMANDS RESULT IN NO BOYKIN

AT FORT RILEY

PRAYER BREAKFAST

MRFF's vigorous demands succeeded in having Islamophobic and fundamentalist Evangelical Christian fanatic Lt. General Jerry Boykin (Ret.) removed as the honored guest speaker at the Fort Riley Prayer Breakfast, as part of the 1st Infantry Division's "Victory Week". MRFF achieved this victory within 23 hours on behalf of our 131 Army Officers, NCOs, and civilian clients at Fort Riley, inclusive of: Jews, Muslims, Protestants, Catholics, Native Americans, Agnostics, Atheists, Humanists, Secularists, and the LGBT community. Wednesday, June 1, 2016 Fort Riley Statement to MRFF RE: Jerry Boykin Disinvite Sent to MRFF Today, Wednesday, June 1, 2016 From: "Lavigne, Michael J MSG USARMY 1 ID (US)"

Subject: Statement

Date: June 1, 2016 at 3:06:27 PM MDT

To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Mr. Weinstein: As requested, I'm providing you the same statement I provided to Army Times this afternoon in response to their query this morning. The statement was attributed to me as the 1st Inf. Div. spokesman. "We are aware of the concerns an organization has brought to light concerning the invitation of Lt. Gen. (Ret) Jerry Boykin to the Fort Riley prayer breakfast, which was originally scheduled for June 6. The breakfast is one of dozens of events planned for 6-10 June during the 1st Inf. Div.'s Victory Week, and unfortunately, due to a number of scheduling conflicts, including the signing of the 100th Anniversary Charter and the Division Run, the breakfast will be rescheduled for a later date. Lt. Gen. (Ret) Boykin's credentials as a Soldier and leader speak for themselves and his 36 years of service to our nation are worthy of our respect and admiration. However, in an effort to ensure everyone in our broad and very diverse community feels welcome at any event on Fort Riley, we will pursue the invitation of a different speaker for the prayer breakfast once it is rescheduled. The 1st Inf. Div. and Fort Riley will continue to ensure our Soldiers, civilians, and contract employees have the basic freedom to pursue their individual belief systems, religious or secular, without fear of reprisal." Please let me know if you have any further questions. Respectfully, MSG Lavigne

__________________

MSG Mike Lavigne

Chief Public Affairs NCO

1st Infantry Division

Fort Riley, KS

http://www.riley.army.mil/contact-us

Sent from remote ARMY TIMES COVERS MRFF Fort Riley prayer breakfast called off; controversial retired 3-star was set to speak Wednesday, June 1, 2016 A prayer breakfast at Fort Riley set for Monday as part of 1st Infantry Division's "Victory Week" celebration has been rescheduled, and the retired three-star general who'd been invited to speak — and whose invitation to a similar event at West Point in 2012 met with fierce opposition — won't be asked back. Click to read more MRFF Demand Letter To Major General Wayne W. Grigsby, Commanding General, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley from MRFF Counsel and Advisory Board Member , Pedro L. Irigonegaray

Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2016 1:45 PM

To: Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby

Cc: Mikey Weinstein <

Subject: Mr. Jerry Boykin



Re: Mr. Jerry Boykin



Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby,



As counsel for Mr. Mikey Weinstein and The Military Religious Freedom Foundation I am writing to you because, very reliable sources have informed us that, Mr. Jerry Boykin, has been invited to address the troops under your command at Fort Riley on, Monday, June 6, 2016. Please be advised that my clients, in the strongest possible terms, object and as a matter of law demand that Mr. Boykin be disallowed from speaking at Fort Riley to members of our distinguished and honorable Armed Forces.



Mr. Boykin's willfully ignorant and offensive rhetoric has been, for many years, well documented by many reporters and news outlets. In 2012 Mr. Boykin was forced to withdraw from speaking at a prayer breakfast at West Point because of his Islamaphobic statements. Mr. Boykin has also "jokingly" blamed the Jews for all of the world's problems, saying, "the Jews are the problem”, "The Jews are the cause of all the problems in the world." Mr. Boykin's statements include the following, "the Lord is a warrior and in Revelation 19 it says when he comes back, he's coming back as what? A warrior. A mighty warrior leading a mighty army, riding a white horse with a bloodstained white robe... I believe that blood on that robe is the blood of his enemies cause he is coming back as a warrior carrying a sword. And I believe now – I have checked this out – I believe that sword he'll be caring when he comes back is an AR – 15" Mr. Boykin also publicly stated in 2010 the following comments regarding Islam; "should not be protected under the First Amendment because those following the dictates of the Quran are under an obligation to destroy our Constitution and replace it with sharia law"



The statements previously mentioned and many more, easily accessible on the web, demonstrate, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Mr. Boykin is not fit to address the soldiers at Fort Riley. Fort Riley personnel need not be exposed to Mr. Boykins bigotry wrapped in prayer. Mr. Boykin's message is destructive to unit cohesion, diversity and the values which our Armed Forces must represent in our nation and around the world.



At the moment we represent approximately 131 clients, from Fort Riley, seeking our assistance in an effort to deny Mr. Boykin's Islamophobic, homophobic, fundamentalist Christian extremist message to be delivered to our troops at Fort Riley. These individuals include soldiers identifying themselves as Christians, Muslim Americans, Jews, members of the LGBT community as well as Army civilians, United States Army atheists and agnostics and Native Americans.



Mr. Mikey Weinstein's Military Religious Freedom Foundation currently represents 45,516 United States Marines, sailors, soldiers, airmen, cadets and midshipmen at the three major service academies – West Point, Annapolis and the Air Force Academy – our numbers include members of the National Guard, The Reserve and Veterans. Approximately 96% of our clients are practicing Protestants or Roman Catholics. The group includes 912 members of the LGBT community and just over 16% of all Muslim Americans in the United States military.



Army Strong's values of acceptance of diversity and maximization of unit cohession would be irreparably and unnecessarily harmed by permitting Mr. Boykins message of bigotry wrapped in prayer to be delivered at Fort Riley. Your command duties require that you respect, obey and support the Constitution of the United States of America. Permitting Mr. Boykin's speech means that you would have to willfully ignore the constitutional rights of the very soldiers which you command at Fort Riley.



We desire to have this matter resolved by you with an order preventing Mr. Boykin's speech. However if you choose not to do so I respectfully request that you notify me immediately so that we may decide which legal steps we need to take next in our Federal Courts.



Because of the time restraints involved between today, June 1, 2016 and the scheduled date of Mr. Boykin's speech at Fort Riley on June 6, 2016, I respectfully urge that you please let us know, at your very earliest possible convenience, how you're going to address my request.



In conclusion I want to thank you for your leadership and your service to our nation; please do not allow Mr. Boykin to place a dark cloud on your legacy at Fort Riley and most importantly on the minds of the soldiers which you are sworn to protect.



Respectfully yours.



Pedro Luis Irigonegaray

Counsel and Advisory Board Member

Military Religious Freedom Foundation From: Pedro L IrigonegaraySent: Wednesday, June 01, 2016 1:45 PMTo: Maj. Gen. Wayne W. GrigsbyCc: Mikey Weinstein < [email protected] >; Pedro L IrigonegaraySubject: Mr. Jerry BoykinRe: Mr. Jerry BoykinMaj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby,As counsel for Mr. Mikey Weinstein and The Military Religious Freedom Foundation I am writing to you because, very reliable sources have informed us that, Mr. Jerry Boykin, has been invited to address the troops under your command at Fort Riley on, Monday, June 6, 2016. Please be advised that my clients, in the strongest possible terms, object and as a matter of law demand that Mr. Boykin be disallowed from speaking at Fort Riley to members of our distinguished and honorable Armed Forces.Mr. Boykin's willfully ignorant and offensive rhetoric has been, for many years, well documented by many reporters and news outlets. In 2012 Mr. Boykin was forced to withdraw from speaking at a prayer breakfast at West Point because of his Islamaphobic statements. Mr. Boykin has also "jokingly" blamed the Jews for all of the world's problems, saying, "the Jews are the problem”, "The Jews are the cause of all the problems in the world." Mr. Boykin's statements include the following, "the Lord is a warrior and in Revelation 19 it says when he comes back, he's coming back as what? A warrior. A mighty warrior leading a mighty army, riding a white horse with a bloodstained white robe... I believe that blood on that robe is the blood of his enemies cause he is coming back as a warrior carrying a sword. And I believe now – I have checked this out – I believe that sword he'll be caring when he comes back is an AR – 15" Mr. Boykin also publicly stated in 2010 the following comments regarding Islam; "should not be protected under the First Amendment because those following the dictates of the Quran are under an obligation to destroy our Constitution and replace it with sharia law"The statements previously mentioned and many more, easily accessible on the web, demonstrate, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Mr. Boykin is not fit to address the soldiers at Fort Riley. Fort Riley personnel need not be exposed to Mr. Boykins bigotry wrapped in prayer. Mr. Boykin's message is destructive to unit cohesion, diversity and the values which our Armed Forces must represent in our nation and around the world.At the moment we represent approximately 131 clients, from Fort Riley, seeking our assistance in an effort to deny Mr. Boykin's Islamophobic, homophobic, fundamentalist Christian extremist message to be delivered to our troops at Fort Riley. These individuals include soldiers identifying themselves as Christians, Muslim Americans, Jews, members of the LGBT community as well as Army civilians, United States Army atheists and agnostics and Native Americans.Mr. Mikey Weinstein's Military Religious Freedom Foundation currently represents 45,516 United States Marines, sailors, soldiers, airmen, cadets and midshipmen at the three major service academies – West Point, Annapolis and the Air Force Academy – our numbers include members of the National Guard, The Reserve and Veterans. Approximately 96% of our clients are practicing Protestants or Roman Catholics. The group includes 912 members of the LGBT community and just over 16% of all Muslim Americans in the United States military.Army Strong's values of acceptance of diversity and maximization of unit cohession would be irreparably and unnecessarily harmed by permitting Mr. Boykins message of bigotry wrapped in prayer to be delivered at Fort Riley. Your command duties require that you respect, obey and support the Constitution of the United States of America. Permitting Mr. Boykin's speech means that you would have to willfully ignore the constitutional rights of the very soldiers which you command at Fort Riley.We desire to have this matter resolved by you with an order preventing Mr. Boykin's speech. However if you choose not to do so I respectfully request that you notify me immediately so that we may decide which legal steps we need to take next in our Federal Courts.Because of the time restraints involved between today, June 1, 2016 and the scheduled date of Mr. Boykin's speech at Fort Riley on June 6, 2016, I respectfully urge that you please let us know, at your very earliest possible convenience, how you're going to address my request.In conclusion I want to thank you for your leadership and your service to our nation; please do not allow Mr. Boykin to place a dark cloud on your legacy at Fort Riley and most importantly on the minds of the soldiers which you are sworn to protect.Respectfully yours.Pedro Luis IrigonegarayCounsel and Advisory Board MemberMilitary Religious Freedom Foundation Mikey Weinstein's Demand Emails to Major General Wayne W. Grigsby, Commanding General, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley Tuesday, May 31, 2016 From: Mikey Weinstein <[email protected]>

Subject: EXTREMELY URGENT!!

Date: May 31, 2016 at 4:39:48 PM MDT

To: Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby

Cc: Information Weinstein <[email protected]> .........Major General Grigsby, sir, please tell me that the information below is NOT correct regarding what we are hearing about your “chaplains’ choice” for guest speaker at your on-post prayer breakfast scheduled for June 6, 2016? We are hearing that this choice is Jerry Boykin. Is this true?We cannot confirm or deny this choice of Boykin for sure yet and don’t even know if YOU know about this alleged “chaplains choice"? General, If it IS correct, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) will do EVERYTHING in its power to stop Jerry Boykin, a despicable fundamentalist Christian supremacist, monstrosity and raging Islamophobe, from speaking at this “prayer breakfast” event at Fort Riley on June 6, 2016. Please advise asap, sir!....Many thx, Mikey Weinstein, Founder and President, MRFF 505-250-7727...standing by...(I tried to call your office number but noone answered?!) From: MRFF Client at Fort Riley

Subject: Ft. Riley

Date: May 31, 2016 at 3:55:56 PM MDT

To: [email protected] I am a gov employee I wish to remain anonymous. I am very concerned with the chaplains choice for guest speaker at a on post prayer breakfast 06 June. From: Mikey Weinstein <[email protected]>

Subject: ABSOLUTELY NO TO BOYKIN!!

Date: May 31, 2016 at 5:29:05 PM MDT

To: Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby

Cc: Information Weinstein <[email protected]> **Major General Grigsby, sir, IF in point of fact, your chaplains’ staff HAS selected to honor Jerry Boykin by deciding to officially invite this base, evil, vile fundamentalist Christian bigot to speak at the 1st ID on post, official U.S. Army prayer breakfast at Fort Riley, Kansas this coming Monday, June 6, 2016, MRFF wants you to be sure to know WELL why MRFF will simply do ALL it possibly can to fight, unto the ends of the earth, this digesting and wretched travesty! Please carefully review the below, sir. Please advise MRFF asap if this selection of Boykin to speak at this official, U.S. Army event is true or not, General Grigsby. We have heard the nasty rumors, bu are they for real, sir? Please confirm one way or the other as soon as possible. Thank you, Mikey Weinstein, Founder and President, MRFF 505-250-7727

From: Chris Rodda <[email protected]>

Subject: ABSOLUTELY NO TO BIGOT BOYKIN!!

Date: May 31, 2016 at 5:11:14 PM MDT

To: Mikey Weinstein <[email protected]> Boykin's anti-Muslim statements go back to 2003 when, as deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence, he spoke in uniform at a number of churches making statements that we were in a holy war with Islam. The most infamous of these anti-Muslim statements was when he said, referring to battling a Muslim warlord in Somalia: "I knew my God was bigger than his. I knew that my God was a real God and his was an idol." At another one of these church appearances, he compared the war on terror to a Christian war against Satan. Boykin's making these statements in uniform led to a Pentagon investigation, which found that he had violated military regulations by failing to make clear he was not speaking in an official capacity when speaking at these churches. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/general-faulted-for-satan-speeches/ Boykin was also publicly rebuked by President Bush for his anti-Muslim statements: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2003/oct/28/20031028-113316-6459r/ ---------------------- Boykin publicly stated in 2010 that Islam "should not be protected under the First Amendment" because "those following the dictates of the Quran are under an obligation to destroy our Constitution and replace it with sharia law." http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/boykin-islam-should-not-be-protected-under-first-amendment -------------------- In 2012, Boykin was forced to withdraw from speaking at a prayer breakfast at West Point because of his Islamophobic statements: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/31/us/lt-gen-william-boykin-known-for-anti-muslim-remarks-cancels-west-point-talk.html?_r=3

In 2014, he was caught on a hot mic accusing President Obama of using “subliminal messages” to promote the agenda of al-Qaeda.

He has also, on many occasions, spread conspiracy theories about President Obama, such as claiming that Obama, through health care legislation, intended to raise a force that he compared to the Nazi Brownshirts: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/boykin-exposes-obamas-health-care-conspiracy-build-his-brownshirt-army

In 2014, he said while speaking at one event that Jesus would be coming back toting an AR-15: "The Lord is a warrior and in Revelation 19 it says when he comes back, he’s coming back as what? A warrior. A might warrior leading a mighty army, riding a white horse with a blood-stained white robe ... I believe that blood on that robe is the blood of his enemies ‘cause he’s coming back as a warrior carrying a sword. And I believe now - I’ve checked this out - I believe that sword he’ll be carrying when he comes back is an AR-15." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/20/general-boykin-gun-jesus_n_4826089.html

He also "jokingly" blamed the Jews for all the world's problems, saying, “The Jews are the problem. The Jews are the cause of all the problems in the world.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/12/jerry-boykin-jews_n_4952126.html

In addition to his bigoted Islamophobic and antisemitic remarks, he has also made anti-LGBT statements, among other things calling the military's repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" the “absolute destruction of our military readiness and our military morale.” http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/year-homophobia-ten-worst-anti-lgbt-stories-2014 From: Mikey Weinstein <[email protected]>

Subject: MRFF Demands That You Do Not Allow Boykin to Speak!

Date: May 31, 2016 at 8:37:53 PM MDT

To: Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby

Cc: Information Weinstein <[email protected]> .....Major General Grigsby, in case you needed a little more salient info on this homophobic, Islamophobic, fundamentalist Christian extremist: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/exclusive-lt-gen-william-boykin-past-delta-force-commander-hit-with-army-reprimand/2014/05/22/264a7ea2-e0fd-11e3-8dcc-d6b7fede081a_story.html .....General, MRFF demands to know NOW if you and/ot your staff have actually exercised the gross poor (or willful) judgment to have invited this disgusting bigot Boykin to speak at your 1st ID official prayer breakfast at Fort Riley this coming Monday, June 6, 2016?

If you and/or your staff have indeed done so, sir, MRFF now demands that you immediately withdraw that invitation forthwith and pick another speaker who represents and exemplifies the “Army Strong” values of acceptance of diversity and maximization of unit cohesiveness. Boykin is the filthy antithesis of such critical Army values. He sows hatred and heinous divisiveness with his sickening screed of fundamentalist Christian supremacy, primacy, exclusivity and triumphalism. Therefore, General Grigsby, MRFF demands that you rescind Boykin’s invitation accordingly. .....Whoever may have effectuated this pathetic invitation to this World Class bigot Boykin should be aggressively investigated and visibly punished. ......MRFF demands your answers to these demands immediately. sincerely, Mikey Weinstein, Founder and President, MRFF

505-250-7727

