Melania has a new documentary out. As stunning as she is to look at, and impressive as a person, I have no interest in watching her getting ready for 47’s inauguration last year. Apparently some people do though, as it’s quite popular. Though it’s funny that it has an 8% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 99% audience score. Obama’s 2018 documentary on the last year of his presidency The Final Year has the opposite problem, with 83% of critics liking it while only 49% of the audience is interested. Anywho…
So with a Republican back in the White House, it’s natural that we’d start to hear from our old pal Mikey Weinstein. He’s gotta separate the church from the state and get his exorbitant non-profit salary somehow. I don’t hate the player, I hate the game. Scratch that, there’s a lot to hate from this player too.
From the totally impartial Daily Beast and Mikey;
Military Pressured to See ‘Melania’ Against Their Will
Thousands of active-duty military personnel may have been “pressured” into seeing the Melania documentary at cinemas around the country, a watchdog has warned.
The $75 million Amazon film opened last week to $7 million at the box office—despite universally terrible reviews.
According to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, those numbers have been artificially inflated by pressure from MAGA-aligned officers leaning on their troops to buy tickets.
“People are scared,” Mikey Weinstein, president and founder of the MRFF, said. Weinstein said he has received letters from members of the U.S. military at eight facilities worldwide, complaining that their superiors encouraged or pressured them to see the film.
He told Business Insider. “They were pressured to see the movie. Your military superior, that’s not your shift manager at Taco Bell or Starbucks. They have complete and total control over you.”
The MRFF, a non-profit founded in 2005 to promote the separation of church and state within the military, has roughly 100,000 members.
“Nobody that I know wanted to go except for those that did not want to get jacked up by our unit commander for not attending,” one of those members told Weinstein in a letter seen by journalist Jonathan Larsen.
The unit commander in question is alleged to have worn red MAGA hats in the past and “made it very clear” how he feels about those who do not support the administration’s agenda.
He is also alleged to have made seeing Melania count as one of the three “unit activity events” service members are required to attend each month. Such events are designed to promote bonds within combat units and their families.
The letter said, “…he ‘advised’ our unit members and their families to join him and his wife and children for a showing of that new documentary called ‘Melania’ at an off-base movie theater… When he said ‘advised’, we know what that meant.
“We feel helpless to try to fight against what he is doing here.”
Weinstein said that manipulating troops to spend their leisure time on ideologically driven activities negatively affects unit cohesion.
“It tears it down,” he said. “It’s like injecting cancer into the body of the military unit.”
In a statement to the Daily Beast, the Department of Defense said that there “is no Department of War [sic] directive requiring service members to see this film, though the film is fantastic.”
Trump has given the Department of Defense the secondary title “department of war,” but cannot legally rename it.
There’s that impartiality we expect from a “news” organization like the Daily Beast. There’s more at the source if you’re looking to crack a molar grinding your teeth.
Sorry, Mikey. I need proof. Your word just ain’t good enough. And if this is true, that officer’s chain of command needs to take turns beating his ass right up to his discharge, then beat his ass all the way to the gate.
Well said!
If, and that’s a BIG “if” this actually happened as mikey the whiner says it did, at 8 facilities worldwide, then it needs to be stopped cold, and the individuals responsible at those 8 locations need to be dealt with appropriately.
That being said, 8 facilities in the entire world.. seems that’s a VERY small percentage, and mikeys reaction, as usual is completely overblown.
And the fact that a commander might wear a MAGA hat (off duty I assume. On duty would be a whole other issue) is completely irrelevant, but mikey and the morons at the DB already know this..
Surely there would be an EMail, text, video in 2026? To say it happened without any kind of digital tail or trail these days is to say it never happened.
Absolutely concur. Pics or it didn’t happen.
I second that!
I don’t get it. They want troops to worship Melania? So the religious freedom people had to get involved?
My son says no one at work has even heard about the film, so I guess they are planning on strong arming him later.
Considering the source, most here would take “Things that never happened for $1,000” and until there is more than Mikey’s word, not gonna get worked up over yet another liberal fever dream.
What religious freedom is being impacted, even if Mikey isn’t lying for once in his pathetic life? If you’re so obtuse you equate recommendations to see a movie with forced worship, you’re probably in the wrong comments section.
How many CONUS Bases/Posts/Forts, etc even have functioning movie theaters, these days?
I’m not sure if either of our two multiplexes are showing the film. So if I was a troop it would be hard for a Commander to direct me to spend money to support a particular commercial entity.
SFC D is right.
It does say “off post” theater. No details, locations, or dates. Right.
Yeah, some off-post theater is gonna be okay with some rando officer from the local post taking attendance at their establishment.
Maybe the enlisted wanted to go to the movie and there was no coercion.
Not quite the same, but at the Guam Naval Hospital, 1970: Corpsmen packed an off-site theater’s first showing of M*A*S*H as the rumor had it that it would not be staying long. The parrallels to our Naval doctors and nurses (officers) kept the theater full for a number of days. To the chagrin of many, more than a few officers and enlisted picked up nicknames based on the movie.
Oh, Mikey you’re not so fine…
“Oh, Mikey you’re not so fine…”
You’re such a stuffed shirt all the time…
Hey Mikey! Hey Mikey!
Times must be hard at the MRFF if this is the best Mikey can conjure up. Finding a “victim” forced to view an elegant, articulate and compassionate First Lady can’t be easy. There also may be a return to a professional military that has little time or patience for frivolous bullshit.
Poor Mikey.
Shits like Mikey WHINEstein always need an evil bogeyman, fictional or otherwise to keep playing their ACME® Victim Card™ while they bray for more donations!
Is he related to Harvey?
“….Alex, I’ll take ‘Things That Didn’t Happen ‘ for $500….”
I believe there are a variety of medications that suppress hallucinations. He might want to explore the topic.
Weinstein is a 💩.
IMO that’s like saying water is wet, fire is hot and shit stinks!
Why is whiny Mike even dipping his toes into this situation? Isn’t his “Foundation” supposed to only be involved when faith intersects with the military???
Probably more along the lines of, “Free afternoon off duty IF you want to watch this latest Melania flick at this theater at this time. All voluntarily, no coercion, no attendance will be taken. Shop is closed, have a nice rest of the day. See ya tomorrow at oh-dark-too-damned-early for PT. Be careful out there.”
Whinestain is an absolute retard. I have the misfortune of seeing his posts on Fb as he presents letters ostensibly from military members (which sound nothing like), and his letters supposedly to unit or garrison commanders with ludicrous over the top breathless hyperbole. And which have little or nothing to do with religious freedom but only freedom from Trump. Clown. You go to his website and every page has multiple (very prominent) DONATE buttons in red. Conversely, I can’t find anything but a borderline hidden “contact us” link which offers nothing like an intake form. It is clear why he exists.
The guillotine is too good for that rotten bastard.
Nah. Gotta make it hurt. A lot. Drawing and quartering.
Or (what was that other one? “Scapism”? Something like that)
Riddle me this Batman, since when has Melania become a religious icon or personage?
I couldn’t even tell you what her religious affiliation is. Or if she has one.
Correct.
One of the “reports” about the imaginary commander stated he also runs a prayer group in addition to wearing a dreaded MAGA hat.
Perhaps he is starting a cult?
Quick! Get Mark “foreskin” Kelly (h/t rgr769) on the phone. This could be one of those “illegal orders” he’s been squawking about!
Mikey WHINEstein? Yeah, I’d trust a shifty Used Car Dealer right outside the gates far more than I would him!!!
As a fellow tribe member, Mikey is an embarrassment. I miss the commissar’s comments, where’s he been?🤣
Were troops required to show up 15 minutes early to the movie theater and police the parking lot for cigarette butts and empty popcorn buckets?
In 3, 2, 1… Bullshit
I save myself a lot of time by using my “rule of thumb” regarding any story with a headline that asks a question.
I just answer “No” and move on.
I’m right 99.999 percent of the time and I didn’t have to waste time reading the article.
Just saying.
Reminds Hack of back in the day while on Recruiting Duty. Sergeant Stone was in his government issued Recruiter Car with Gunnery Sergeant Needledick when he asked Hack Stone “What are you doing this weekend?” Hack Stone replied “Probably recruiting.” Needledick then says “I’m going to need help moving out of my house this weekend.” So Hack is thinking why the hell is he telling Hack this? Does he expect Hack Stone to help him move out so he could pursue his midlife crisis by bagging women with low self esteem who think that the need an asshole in uniform in their lives? In the unlikely event that he actually had a day off while on Recruiting Duty, he certainly would not spend it assisting this asshole.