Lance Corporal Monifa Sterling; discharged for Bible verse
I’ve been getting this story for a few days. It’s about Monifa Sterling a former lance corporal in the Marines who had a Bibical phrase posted in her workspace. When told to take it down, she refused;
The plight of Lance Corporal Monifa Sterling seems unbelievable – a member of the Armed Forces criminally prosecuted for displaying a slightly altered passage of Scripture from the Old Testament: “No weapon formed against me shall prosper.”
Sterling, who represented herself at trial, was convicted February 1, 2014 in a court-martial at Camp Lejune, North Carolina after she refused to obey orders from a staff sergeant to remove the Bible verses from her desk.
She was found guilty of failing to go to her appointed place of duty, disrespect toward a superior commissioned officer, and four specifications of disobeying the lawful order of a noncommissioned officer.
While I sympathize with the young lance corporal, and I doubt this would have reached this level of discipline under other similar circumstances, the way I was always taught to deal with circumstances in the military with which I disagreed is to do what you’re told and then complain about it to the proper military authorities. It doesn’t look like Sterling did that. She was charged with disrespect and disobeying orders. That’s not how you get the military judge on your side in a hearing or a court martial.
She was right until she was wrong.
Category: Military issues
I agree.. If you don’t like your orders, do it and then complain about it. This isn’t about religious freedom. I see it as forcing your beliefs on others in the work place. In her barracks or home or car she can do whatever. BUT in a workplace….the NCOIC and OIC has the final say. She was told several times to remove it.. She refused. End of Story.
Oftentimes, you can even skip the “complain about it” part and get along just fine.
Pretty interesting……Please READ the description under the video’s title
http://youtu.be/AYBGe66zf28
Non-issue. Even in a civilian workplace, your desk belongs to your boss, and they have the right to tell you to keep it a certain way. I make an issue of what’s on that desk by being insubordinate, and I can be fired for cause. “Bible verse” has nothing to do with it — employee’s disrespect does.
From the article,
1. She was told by an NCO to remove it and refused.
2. She was told by an NCO to remove it and refused.
3. She was told by an NCO to remove it and refused.
4. She was told by an NCO to remove it and refused.
5. She was disrespectful toward a superior commissioned officer.
6. She failed to go to her appointed place of duty. (Didn’t show up for work/copped an attitude)
7. Sterling represented herself at trial. (“I’m smarter than you. I have an attitude. I’m entitled.)
The Marine was given a bad conduct discharge and a reduction in rank from lance corporal to private. (GOOD, as she should have been)
And I quote….
WITH EMPHASIS…
According to the appellate court’s decision, they were not convinced “that displaying religious text at a shared government workstation would be protected even in a civilian federal workplace.”
***They also considered the fact that Sterling’s desk was shared by other Marines.***
“The implication is clear – the junior Marine sharing the desk and the other Marines coming to the desk for assistance would be exposed to biblical quotations in the military workplace,” the court declared. “It is not hard to imagine the divisive impact to good order and discipline that may result when a service member is compelled to work at a government desk festooned with religious quotations.”
http://img.pandawhale.com/post-11150-Grumpy-Cat-GOOD-and-NO-memes-pGrc.jpeg
/cue Grumpy Cat.
Agreed. Does the Big Chicken Dinner cost her her VA benefits? It did when I was in.
Yes..Because of her BCD she is NOT entitled to any veteran benefits.
Because she is now unemployable, she’s going to suck off the Welfare teet.
THAT pisses me off now that I think about it.
I’m sure she’s going to rip someone off for some benefits *somehow* as she is wont to do, with her past behavior.
I know that you’re not supposed to receive UCX (Unemployment benefits with a BCD) but somehow I’m not confident that she won’t attempt to try to game the system.
Too bad her discharge was not a dishonorable one. She can still own and buy firearms.
If she chooses to file for Unemployment benefits, she will have to produce a copy of her DD Form 214 (Member 4 copy) at the time of filing. It’s been a couple of years since I worked UI in my state, but based on memory and the discharge described, she could file but I don’t believe she could utilize the wages, therefore she would be ineligible off the bat for Unemployment unless she’d also worked somewhere else and had wages from there, but UCX wouldn’t be used.
Sterling represented herself at trial.
Better to keep one’s mouth shut and be thought the fool, than to open it and remove all doubt.
Grandad was fond of telling us kids that saying.
OC
Another equally as old: Someone who represents themself at a trial has a fool for a client.
I heard that there some individual in Florida or Oregon who failed to comprehend that quotation.
There’s so much more that led up to it from what I have been told. She managed to rub enough of her leadership wrong that no one was willing to speak up on her behalf… The Corps is a better place.
Yes, quite a bit more: http://www.jag.navy.mil/courts/documents/archive/2015/STERLING-201400150-UNPUB.PDF
There’s a word for that. It’s coming to me…
Dirtball.
Wow…I didn’t read through most of that but it seemed to be Bernathian is scope.
She was apparently so deluded of her position and capabilities AS TO argue the point against PROFESSIONALS, she got her ignorant ass handed to her.
On. A. Platter.
Can’t understand nescient thinking.
I read it all and had the privilege to sit on one Army courts martial board and witness at another while I was in. I can honestly say it was complete and fair. After seeing several other incidents in the Army before I retired it’s refreshing to see the system back the NCOs. In the Army, PC was starting to kill the backbone.
As far as I could tell from reading the summary(?) of the court martial, she got the BCD for refusal to perform her military duties — the signs on her desk were just the tip of the iceberg.
There had to have been other ways for her to deal with it other than disobeying a lawful order and disrespecting her Superiors.
Reminds me a little of that idiot Specialist Michael New. For those that don’t remember, New was assigned to the 3rd ID in the mid 90’s when they were in Germany (HQ in Wurzburg, Northern Bavaria) and received orders to Macedonia to participate in the UN mission. New refused to put the UN patch on his uniform as ordered and refused to deploy with his battalion to what he considered an “illegal” deployment and for a short time became the darling of the frothing right-wing Clinton-haters.
He actually hired a lawyer to represent him at his GCM but still got the Big Chicken Dinner, as he should have.
New appealed his BCD and lost.
http://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/25/world/us-convicts-gi-who-refused-to-serve-under-un-in-balkans.html
Wow, that link is more than 19 years old. I was just leaving active duty when the whole SPC New situation was boiling over. Makes me feel old to think it was almost 20 years ago. 😉
I remember his argument, “I signed up for the green team, not the blue team” or something like that. Even if he had a logical point, the fact is that lawful orders are lawful orders, without regard of the soldier’s opinion of the propriety or legality of those orders.
Upon arrival at my duty station in Germany in 1977 I wearing my mustache in a handlebar.
XO: “Specialist you need to trim that mustache”
Me: “Sir, it’s within regulation.”
XO: “Trim it”
Me: “Yes, Sir”
This is a far as her argument should’ve gone. You have to cope a serious attitude to turn something like this into a BCD.
As a guy with a very nice handlebar ‘stache, I can’t say I blame you for not wanting to trim.
But then again, my handlebar is too big to be within military regs. ;o)
Wow, I arrived in Germany in 77. With the 2/62 ADA. I learned quickly. “Jump”, “Yes Sir, How high?” Kept me straight for 22 years.
#1: If ordered, do it.
#2: If a decision had to be made, do it quickly, if wrong decision, correct it before discovered.
#3 Do it, then plead ignorance and beg for forgiveness.
But *she* has such a big…….white……smile…..and teeth.
To many people are pushing the envelope to see what they can get away with.. It’s real simple to me. If you’re in the Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard. They tell you what to do, when to do it and when you can stop. IF YOU don’t like it…get the heck out. Don’t be telling “them” to do it your way because of your beliefs. Gimme a break.
It’s telling that she chose to represent herself at court-martial, when she had an absolute right to free, qualified defense counsel. Most likely her original counsel gave her advice that she didn’t want to take: maybe “take the 15” or “take the chapter”. No, she had to represent herself, and now she’s got a criminal record that’s going to follow her for life.
This one has attitude written all over it.
I suspect the cubicle display was just a quantifiable offense and used for moving her to a new job description.
Shitbird tried to play too many cards at once and the command ran a Big Mo on her dumb ass..
“Big Mo” .. I see you spent a bit of time playing Bid Whist and Spades.
I’m just gobsmacked at the pure, untrammeled prejudice toward common sense and consideration for others displayed by this self-centered, obnoxious, immature little snot.
That is all.
Nothing can be more hurtful to the service, than the neglect of discipline; for that discipline, more than numbers, gives one army the superiority over another.
George Washington
Amen, bud.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. I wonder if she thought of all that herself, or did she take the advice of some “latrine lawyer”?
Splash out.
My thoughts exactly brother, stupid games.
I’m figuring she was the barracks lawyer and had to prove to all her “clients” that they just didn’t follow her advice properly. Here, let me show ya how it’s done
Shitbird first class for sure. If I remember correctly, the ID issue section on base was where most units FAP’d their problem children to. It is a shame that the story is so focused on “religious freedom, as her court martial tells a very different story.
During my AD Army days, Gym and Library Duty were also ways of units getting the “slugs, ash, & trash” out of their way for six months at a time.
“Self-Help Teams” in the 60’s at Bragg. Did bldg maintenance stuff that the Post Engineers never got around to doing.
Hey sj, that was called barracks support when I was in, but “self help team” sounds so much more important.
Where is a good barracks Lawyer when you need one 🙂
Gym and Library Duty were also ways of units getting the “slugs, ash, & trash” out of their way for six months at a time
Proud, same here. But …
At Benning after just graduating Infantry OSUT at Harmony Barracks, I was awaiting a follow-on assignment. Before being tagged as a “Drill Corporal,” I was detailed to the Sand Hill gym one day. The gym manager turned out to be some fat loud-mouthed E7 braggart regaling me with his exploits in Vietnam. He had — so he claimed — knocked out 10 Vietcong bunkers all by himself … and got the Medal of Honor!!!! “Most people will tell you they can’t remember what they did — but everything is clear to me.” Then he bored me for an hour telling me his “story” about how he went from bunker to bunker throwing satchel charges (or grenades) …. whatever — I was bored to tears and couldn’t wait for 1700 when I could return to my bunk.
“Sheesh, what a damned liar”, I said to myself. When I told the Senior Drill about what went on his eyes got big and he said “Was it SFC So-and-So?” [Aha! thought I — the braggart’s reputation was well known even in Harmony Church].
However …. it turned out that he was the real deal. And then Senior Drill told me the story about James Bondsteel:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Leroy_Bondsteel
Sadly, he was killed in a road accident in Alaska after retiring. I regret doubting him at the time — I could really have had a wonderful experience working under him for a day.
I’ve seen this before: A Marine I was familiar with decorated her workspace with nearly 100 of those beanie dolls and other things to the point it almost looked like a little girls room. She was told to take all her trash home because it wasn’t professional (but she was permitted to keep family photos, etc.,). Sad thing about it, she was a Sergeant and went crying to the OIC. Both the OIC and SSgt over her told her to clear out her shit or face NJP. She opted for the latter.
…and it came as a surprise to her how she ended up having to be discharged because she hit high year tenure because she couldn’t get selected to Staff Sergeant.
Monifa?
Monifa?
Monifa?
/well there’s your *first* problem, right there.
🙄
HA! I looked up the name “Monifa”
“I am lucky”
BWA-Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha (snort) Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha (wheeze) hahahaha
(Just a suggestion here. Keep it professional – don’t make it personal. Her name didn’t cause this trouble – her actions did. Stick with that.)
…Keep it professional…
Hey! That was a very PROFESSIONAL laugh.
…. But I know what you mean. Roger, out.
But, PN …. can not I laugh at the IRONY of her name’s meaning? C’mon … seriously.
When I first heard this on the news, my first thought was Hey, there’s more to this than is being reported. I gave her the benefit of the doubt right up till I read the report of court martial. Off with her head.
I thought the same. There is always more to the story than is reported, especially it seems, when it comes to military discipline. I have found the military judicial system to be much more fair and unbiased than anything in the civilian world. Stricter and harsher? Yes, but balanced.
What’s wrong with her? Didn’t she try and play the race card? I’m amazed…
Time will tell, Big Steve. I wonder if we’ve only seen the beginning of a series of “HEY, LOOK AT ME!” stunts on her part? Time will tell.
Oh, you bet, Proud. The book deal offer is probably being created as we speak, and after that, the biomovie where she’s played by some nubile young actrish with bad hair and big teeth and a ‘tude.
I have NO doubt about that, Ma’am! I wonder if she isn’t trying to ally with some Sharpton-like fake preacher to cook up some hokey “Da Man tryin’ to hold us down” kind of campaign to dupe gullible liberals and others out of their money like Sharpton and Jackson do?
Let’s see – by her conduct she alienated her peers, her superiors, and anyone who may have been subordinate to her. We probably could recover from alienating one of the three, supposing we still had the full support of the other two. Under some circumstances, you might even be able to honk off two of the three and survive. But all three? Naw, nothing could possibly go wrong with that plan.
Actually, this looks more like she wanted the boot.
Well, it seems all my thoughts have already been covered. In case she ever reads this thread I thought I should leave her with my thoughts.
http://www.theantiliberalzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/liberalprize-282×300.jpg
CLASSIC!!
A nice ending for this (dare I say) Special unique snowflake.
IMHO
If she was trying to emulate SFC Moerk (whatever it is she reached), she started her tactical approach far too soon.
You wait until you GET there to become an obnoxious, self-important dipstick who annoys everyone around you.
You don’t do that UNTIL you get there. She started BEFORE she got there.
Pity that E8 Moerk didn’t try to stir crap up like that earlier in her career, the Army could have gotten rid of her then and saved some people a lot of heartburn!
This is crazy, even here on Ft Sill, in Snow Hall where the commanders and the CSM’s of the Field Artillery School and Air Defense School hang their hats everyday, A bible verse John 15:16 is displayed on the wall outside of Kerwin auditorium. You don’t see anybody raising a stink about that.
The Bible verse has very little to do with this situation apparently.
I wonder if the 1st Sgt dumped her off at the Driftwood outside the front gate at Lejeune.
I didn’t have to go much past the “medical chit” part.
Shitbird done and gone. Good luck
I once managed to walk past a Colonel outside of our chow hall, what he was doing there going in to eat I’ll never know, and failed to salute as I never saw him. I was in the front leaning rest position for about an hour until he came out. I thought it was a little beyond silly but I didn’t stand and argue the point to the boot sucking Capt he had in tow. I just did it.
[…] there is the “Rosa Parks” factor. People in the military disagreeing with Sterling generally make the same arguments that the Racist Religious Right Christian leaders made against […]
[…] there is the “Rosa Parks” factor. People in the military disagreeing with Sterling generally make the same arguments that the Racist Religious Right Christian leaders made against […]
The USMC stepped into her MINEFIELD.
US Military wide: Failure to recognize the Spiritual Dimension.
The Bible Verses will have a direct bearing in the appeal.
Yep, in my opinion as a 33 yr vet, she’ll win on appeal.
Or scorched earth congressionals will fry careers. Questions like “does the USMC Hate Christians”?
From my OP: GOD Trumps the USMC.