Texas VA clinic removes ‘Bear in mind Our Veterans’ steel cross after watchdog complains

The Division of Veterans Affairs shortly eliminated a steel cross incorporating emblems of the army branches from public show in its Austin, Texas, VA Clinic roughly 90 minutes after a watchdog group raised a grievance.

William Negron, spokesman for the Central Texas Veterans Well being Care System, advised The Washington Instances the cross “has been taken down” following a requirement letter from the Navy Non secular Freedom Basis.

The group mentioned the show violated the Institution Clause of the First Modification, company rules and Protection Division guidelines on the usage of the emblems.

The cross had been affixed to a column within the clinic foyer. It bore the emblems of the Military, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Drive and Coast Guard, together with the picture of a bugler and the phrases, “Bear in mind Our Veterans.” No different non secular symbols have been displayed together with the cross.

Michael L. Weinstein, founder and president of the Navy Non secular Freedom Basis, in a letter to Michael Kiefer, director of the regional VA unit, known as the cross a “nonsecular show of Christian triumphalism and supremacy.”

Mr. Weinstein wrote that the cross “visits a nontrivial quantity of hurtful exclusion, marginalization, prejudice, hatred and bigotry” upon VA purchasers who discover the show objectable.

A Jan. 31, 2020, Veterans Affairs division directive mentioned non secular symbols may very well be used “in a passive show” in public areas of VA amenities, however “ought to respect and tolerate differing views and shouldn’t elevate one perception system over others.”

Mr. Weinstein’s letter mentioned the cross’ stand-alone displayed within the facility’s foyer was “to the utter exclusion of all different religion and non-faith traditions,” and thus violated the Constitutional mandate that the state shouldn’t “set up” a faith, in addition to the 2020 company directive.

Talking to The Instances, the MRFF government mentioned the Austin clinic’s cross has “been up for a minimum of 4 or 5 years” and precipitated misery to 19 sufferers who’d contacted the group.

“It’s glorious that the VA took this down inside 90 minutes of the demand,” Mr. Weinstein mentioned in a phone interview. “Whereas we’re gratified that the VA did the proper factor … it’s nonetheless unsettling to know that the command local weather there … is such that sufferers are afraid to convey the considerations themselves with out coming to an out of doors civil rights group.”

Mr. Weinstein mentioned the 19 veterans “feared simply essentially the most horrible kind of revenge and retribution” if they’d complained immediately.