The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) in Kings Point, New York, has covered up a large painting of Jesus Christ in one of its buildings following a complaint from an advocacy group.
After receiving a complaint from the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, whose founder and president Michael Weinstein fired off a letter to Vice Adm. Joanna M. Nunan on Jan. 10, the school unfurled a white curtain over the large image of Jesus walking on water toward a boat of men lost at sea.
“I come to you this day to demand that the USMMA, which you currently command as its Superintendent, expeditiously remove a massive, sectarian painting illustrating the supremacy of Jesus Christ from the so-called ‘Elliot M. See Room’ located inside of Wiley Hall, which serves as an administrative building at USMMA,” Weinstein wrote to Nunan in the letter, which called for the painting to be moved to a religious setting such as the academy’s chapel.
The letter was also sent to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg because the USMMA is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation (DOT), which did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment regarding whether it was involved with the decision.
Weinstein, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, said in comments provided to Fox News Digital that the 18 “aggrieved USMMA clients” of various faiths whom he represents “quite correctly believe that the display of that ‘Jesus painting’ is totally violative of the clear time, place and manner requirements of the No Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution.”
Nunan, who became the first female superintendent of the USMMA in December, reportedly replied to Weinstein’s letter promptly to inform him that she “had already identified similar concerns with this painting, and I am taking steps to address it.” . . . (read more on Fox News)
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