War On Minority Religions

י"ז בשבט תש"ע
Imbolgen 18

Involved in a California case seeking to gain equal standing for Pagan chaplains in the California prison system, Pagan Chaplain Patrick McCollum informs us of the active movement to limit First Amendment protections only to Christianity at best (other monotheistic faiths if they must, and non-monotheistic faiths not at all). In that case:

In an amicus brief filed in the Ninth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals in support of the CDCR and the other defendants, an organization called Wall Builders,Inc, which is represented by the National Legal Foundation, has argued that Christianity is the only religion that should be protected under the Constitution or at the very most other monotheistic religions might also be included. They also argue that the term religion only applies to Christianity or monotheistic faiths, and that anyone else, including the Pagans, are not really a religion for the purpose of Constitutional protections.

Read the entire article - Is Your Religion About To Be Demoted?

Bath & Body Works Boycott

כ"א ברמחשון תש"ע
Phasma Priscus 22

Every year for the past six years of her eight years of employment with Bath & Body Works, Wiccan Gina Uberti would take her vacation the week of Samhain and head for holiday celebrations in Salem, Massachusetts - a vacation already approved for nearly a year prior to the incident where she was fired for being Wiccan. In 2008, a new manager fired her, allegedly stating that she "will be damned if I have a devil-worshipper on my team."

Read the full article here.

Town Claims Tolerance

כ"ה אלול התשס"ח
Belz 27

While Republicans work to get a supporter of witch-hunting elected into the Office of Vice President (see here and here), a Jewish member of the Temple of Dotham, Alabama is paying up to $50,000 per family for Jewish families to relocate to their "religiously tolerant" community (see Jewish Families Offered $50,000 To Move To Alabama).

"There's ignorance everywhere. There's ignorance in Dothan," (Dotham) Mayor Pat Thomas said. "But ... you have a great community here, and you have a community that's open to all faiths. And I think that's a great strength."

Riggggggggggggght.

What about witches?

Says the Prosecuting Attorney to the Divine, "there's a community down there in Dotham, Alabama that greatly claims to be religiously tolerant."

More Hate Than The Mayor Could Handle

ג' בטבת תשס"ח
Grael 4

In follow up to an earlier post (Tale Of Two Displays) about the witches' pentacle display set up beside the nativity display on governmental property, Jason of The Wild Hunt Blog writes:

It looks like a storm of criticism, and an investigation into a possible hate-crime were more heat than the defiant Mayor wanted to deal with. Mayor Carucci claims that the incident with the Pentacle was mere vandalism, but John and April Garlow, who erected the Pentacle, claim there were threats made against them.

Read Jason's entire report at the link above.

Tale Of Two Displays

Yule Display Vandalized In Olean
Dec 11, 2007 08:09 AM CST

(Olean, NY, December 11, 2007) - - Police in Olean are investigating the vandalism of a holiday display.

Police say someone opposed to a Wiccan pentacle decided to express his or her opinion by running it down Monday night and then sped off into the night.

Olean Mayor David Carucci says the vandalism happened around 10:15 last night.

"Someone has backed up over the curb and run over the pentacle," Carucci told News 4.

Police, meanwhile, are treating it as a hate crime.

"We're going to be treating this as a hate crime," said Olean Police Chief Terry Schnell. "This has gone far too long, this is getting ridiculous."

The pentacle stood only a few feet away from a nativity scene that sparked a public debate about the separation of church and state.

Read full article at link above.

Yule, the winter solstice observed by witches, is traditionally December 21-22.

Oppression At The Kotel

ב' בכסלו תשס"ח

The Jewish Press reports that 13 Austrian bishops were recently denied entrance to the kotel because they would not put their crosses inside their robes.

This is not right. I feel very strongly that it is a terrible thing to oppress another's expression of personal religious identity. Oppression, the antithesis of holiness, especially does not belong at the kotel.

Cultural Flexitime

כ'ט בחשון תשס"ח

It seems Britain is far ahead of the United States in providing its citizens "cultural flexitime" at their places of employment as a human resources "standard" policy.

Civil servants to take bank holidays on religious days of their choice
09.11.07 ThisIsLondon News

Civil servants will be able to take bank holidays on the religious days of their choice under moves to introduce "cultural flexitime".

Officials in the education department will be allowed to work from home on statutory days off and take the time owed to mark their own religious traditions.

It means staff will be able to work at home on Christmas Day for the first time this year and swap it for a different religious festival such as Eid or Diwali.

The pioneering arrangements also apply to cultural traditions, meaning a Welsh employee could move a bank holiday to St David's Day.

Some public bodies and firms already offer similar arrangements, such as allowing Christian holidays to be exchanged for festivals from other religions.

Staff will be able to switch all eight statutory days off, including Christmas, Easter and secular bank holidays.

The arrangements also apply to minority religions such as Baha'i and Zoroastrianism, and staff could ask for time off to mark pagan festivals such as the summer solstice.

"If the department continues to show it is committed to valuing its people, meeting their different needs and improving their working environment, then our people will be committed to working harder and going that extra mile to help us deliver the challenging agenda ahead." (Anne Copeland, human resources director at the DCSF)

Staff choosing to swap bank holidays for other key dates will not be required to prove that they follow a different faith.

"As a progressive department, we are more than pleased to meet the request, as we believe it's both good for employees and the business."

Read full article at link above.

Completely wow! Progressive at it's best!

Local Witches Should Convert Or Get Out Of Town

י'ו בחשון תשס"ח

From The Chicago Tribune:

Community on edge after Wiccans arrive
By Megan Twohey Tribune staff reporter
11:49 PM CDT, October 27, 2007

ROSSVILLE, Ill. — Things were already going downhill in this small farming community when the witches arrived.

Area factories had shut down. So had the local high school. A suspicious fire had gutted much of the downtown. The use of methamphetamine was destroying families.

So when a group of Wiccans from out of town moved into a storefront this summer and erected a sign advertising "Witch School," it was only a matter of time before alarm bells sounded and tempers started to boil in this village of 1,200, about 125 miles south of Chicago near the Indiana border.

"Remember the Salem witch trials?" resident Adam Marganski said. "That's what is happening here."

After percolating behind the scenes, anger erupted into public action last weekend when several churches canvassed the community with literature blasting the witches and organized a meeting to plan further steps.

In a town that sometimes feels closer to the Bible Belt than to the city, churches had been holding weekly prayer sessions for months in hopes of driving the outsiders away. They also had erected a billboard denouncing Wiccan beliefs, proclaiming, "Worship the Creator not Creation."

Fueling their sense of urgency was a ball held by the Wiccans last weekend to celebrate Samhain, their new year's festival, which falls on Halloween.

As more than 150 people filed into the shuttered high school Wednesday night for the meeting, Andy Thomas, youth minister at the Rossville Church of Christ, said residents had a spiritual responsibility to drive the witches out. If they didn't, he said, young people were in danger of being pulled off the Christian path.

At first, Rossville offered a warmer reception. The mayor said publicly they were welcome to do business downtown.

But some churches and residents were upset to see their village portrayed as witch-friendly. They feared the school could corrupt their children.

"We don't want them to go in there and get potions to put hexes on their friends," said Deb Robling, co-owner of a beauty salon on Chicago Street. Robling, also one of Rossville Church of Christ's 230 members, helped organize Wednesday night's meeting.

The high school brimmed with excitement as night fell and old and young filed into the gym.

But when Robert Kurka, the featured speaker, stepped to the lectern, an unexpected thing happened. Instead of leading a pep rally against the witches, the professor at Lincoln Christian College and Seminary delivered an academic lecture comparing Wicca and Christianity.

Kurka encouraged the crowd to try to convert the Wiccans rather than drive them away.

In other words, there are only two options the way the town sees it - the witches must be converted or be forced out of town.

Aren't there supposed to be laws against this kind of harrassment? Apparently, the laws of this country and the will of it's legal system are impotent to protect witches. First, Hoopeston. Now Rossville. A witch is just not safe around these parts from the hexes of the zealots.

read the full article at link above

Hate Crime

(Pictured) The Halloween display in question.

ב' בחשון תשס"ח

Jason of The Wild Hunt Blog asks the question about a case in Massachusetts, home to the infamous Salem witch trials:

Hate Crime?

Is displaying a gallows-hung witch in Massachusetts a religious hate crime? That is the accusation by Kelly Lynch towards a home-owner in Chicopee. According to Lynch, the display is a personal offense to religious Witchcraft and not an innocent Halloween display.

The Chicopee witch explains:

To many, it's an innocent Halloween decoration, but for Kelly Lynch it's offensive.

That's why when she saw the life-like witch hanging in someones front yard she went straight to the home owner's door.

"He told me to lighten up, it was a Halloween decoration, I know it's his constitutional right, but I want it down. To make that your only decoration...it's kind of odd, " stresses Lynch.

But the owner will do no such thing. His neighbor says he has every intention of keeping it up.

It's offensive to me as well. More importantly, the homeowner is engaging in a hate crime.

Leaving the witch hanging, now that it has been directly and unequivocably brought to the homeowner's attention that it is hateful and intimidating to witches, brings to light the maliciousness hidden in the original intent.

I think the homeowner would like to string you up Kelly, in the place of his Halloween decoration.

Students Teaching Tolerance

ג' בתשרי תשס"ח

Florida Today reports and teaches us about sanctifying the Divine Name:

Students challenge ban on Gothic
School board policy prohibits such clothing
BY MEGAN DOWNS
FLORIDA TODAY, September 14, 2007

Fifteen-year-old Amaris Mulhauser prepared for school Thursday morning using a thick-black eyeliner to draw tear streaks dripping down her cheeks.

A few hours later, she was pulled out of her Rockledge High English class and told to go home -- the second time this week -- for wearing the Gothic makeup that administrators had warned her to remove.

Amaris is one of about 30 students trying to change the district's dress code policy, which they believe is outdated and curtails their freedom of expression. The students went before the school board this week to argue their case.

Federal courts have been debating student speech and expression rights for years as school officials around the country struggle to balance the expectation of a safe learning environment with students' rights.

Brevard Public Schools' dress code policy specifically prohibits Gothic-style clothing or accessories, citing that such gear is tied to "violent or death oriented themes."

Read full article at link above.

ל This article excerpt is posted in support of the "30" students challenging the ban and is dedicated in honor of Tempest Kayne Smith. May her memory be a blessing. ל

Over 8 Million Strong In America

י"ג באב תשס"ז

From The Wild Hunt, on voters in America as Jason wonders which presidential candidates will denounce the protestors who called the first Hindu to give an opening prayer in the U.S. Senate an abomination:

There are over eight million "others" in America now, including a million modern Pagans, approximately two million Hindus, close to four million Buddhists, hundreds of thousands of Native American practitioners, 60,000 Taoists, and close to a million Santerians.

Pakistani Christians Must Convert Or Die

כ"ט באייר תשס"ז

In a previous entry yesterday, it was noted that Pakistani Christians were given an ultimatum earlier this month to either convert to Islam by May 17th or face violent attacks. Eye On The World picked up the story yesterday from a Christian Today article of the same day.

Today, Yid With A Lid and Foxnews have picked up the story. From Foxnews:

Taliban Tells Pakistani Christians: Convert or Die
Thursday, May 17, 2007

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Christians in a Pakistani town beset by pro-Taliban militants sought government protection Wednesday, the eve of a deadline for them to convert to Islam or face violence.

About 500 Pakistani Christians in Charsadda, a town in the North West Frontier Province bordering Afghanistan, received letters earlier this month telling them to close their churches and convert by Thursday or be the target of "bomb explosions."

Several Christians, a tiny minority in the predominantly Muslim country, have fled town and others are living in fear, community leaders said.

Some complained that police were not taking the threat seriously.

Read full story at Foxnews link above.

Technorati tags: terrorism Pakistan Taliban persecution of Christians religious intolerance

Christians Given 10 Days To Convert In Pakistan

כ"ט באייר תשס"ז

Christians Have 10 Days To Convert To Islam In Pakistan
Tuesday, May 15, 2007, 10:31 (BST)

Christians in Charsadda, a town in North-West Frontier Province in Pakistan, have been warned that if they do not convert to Islam by 17 May they will face “dire consequences and bomb explosions”.

Read entire article at link above.

Hat-tip to Eye On The World

Technorati tags: terrorism Pakistan persecution of Christians religious intolerance

Orthodox Jew Accuses VA Hospital Of Pushing Christianity

כ"ח באייר תשס"ז

Orthodox Jew Accuses VA Hospital Of Pushing Christianity
By The Associated Press
05.15.07

U.S. Navy veteran David Miller, an Orthodox Jew, has accused chaplains and staff at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Iowa City of attempting to convert him to Christianity.

Miller, 46, of Iowa City, was treated for kidney stones during three hospitalizations over the past two years. He said he went hungry each time because the hospital wouldn't serve him kosher food, and the staff refused to contact his rabbi, who could have brought him something to eat.

Miller said the Iowa City veterans hospital was permeated by government sponsorship of fundamentalist Christianity and unconstitutional discrimination against Jews.

Hat-tip to Witchvox (Wren's Nest News) for link to article.

Technorati tags: VA first amendment VA pushes Christianity orthodox Jew

The Superintendent Speaks

More follow-up to previous entries (here and here and here).

Hanover student sent home again
Thursday, May 3, 2007 12:45 AM CDT

BY CARMEN McCOLLUM
cmccollum@nwitimes.com

CEDAR LAKE For the second day in a row, a Hanover Central High School freshman came to school with pagan symbols sketched on her face and was sent home by school officials.

Hanover Superintendent Michael Livovich said the symbols on the girl's face are disruptive to the educational process, and she will be sent home each day if she refuses to wash them off.

(The teen's father said) they told us she could come to school not wearing it tomorrow or not return to school until after the holiday is over," he said. "Education is very important. We asked if she could wear a necklace. (The superintendent, et al) they said that was OK as long as no one complained about it."

Does this mean that if the harrassed pagan teen complains (barring any fear of being beaten to a pulp by the bullies the school wouldn't protect her from in the past), that all the Christians at the school must likewise remove their crosses?

Technorati tags: druids witches discrimination injustice intolerance hanover crusaders witch hunt

Necessary Limits

י"ז באייר תשס"ז

More follow-up to previous entries (here and here) regarding the pagan Hanover Central High School girl in Cedar Lake, Indiana who was sent home Tuesday for wearing a pentagram in celebration of Beltane - the father discusses here why his daughter was wearing a pentagram on her face instead of *just wearing* a pentagram necklace:

I do need to explain my daughters action on painting the pentagram on her face. She has had necklaces taken from her by faculty, she has had other students rip them right off her neck. She said if it's painted on my skin, they can not take it away from me. Logical I think.

Last year she was being abused by a male student who was snapping her with industral rubber bands, this student also jumped on her back and in frustration she yelled at him to get the F off of her, she was suspended while the other student who had caused harm to her was not, we submitted a video tape of the welts and bruises cause by the other student and still no action was taken. Even though pagans are a peaceful and quiet people, we do have our limits on how much we are gonna take.

Technorati tags: druids witches discrimination injustice intolerance hanover crusaders witch hunt

Entirely Different

י"ז באייר תשס"ז

In follow-up to a previous entry regarding the pagan Hanover Central High School girl in Cedar Lake, Indiana who was sent home Tuesday for wearing a pentagram in celebration of Beltane:

The pentagram in question was only approximately the size of a quarter and was worn on the teen's upper cheek below her eye. So what was the reason for sending the teen home for wearing such a faithful display of her religion? "They told her it was too distracting," (her father) Pencenke said. But, "they don't send kids home on Ash Wednesday," Pencenke pointed out.

As to why the school allows students to attend school with ash on their foreheads for Ash Wednesday, (School Superintendent Michael) Livovich (Jr.) claimed that the situation was entirely different.

Read full article Religious Discrimination In Schools? by Miss Faith.

UPDATE: The father discusses here why his daughter was wearing a pentagram on her face instead of *just wearing* a pentagram necklace:

I do need to explain my daughters action on painting the pentagram on her face. She has had necklaces taken from her by facaulty, she has had other students rip them right off her neck. She said if its painted on my skin they can not take it away from me. Logical I think.

Last year she was being abused by a male student who was snapping her with industral rubber bands, this student also jumped on her back and in frustration she yelled at him to get the F off of her, she was suspended while the other student that had caused harm to her was not, we submited a video tape of the welts and bruises cause by the other student and still no action was taken. Even though pagans are a peaceful and quiet people, we do have our limits on how much we are gonna take.

Technorati tags: druids witches discrimination injustice intolerance hanover crusaders witch hunt

Witches' Purim - Old Story, New Spin

י"ג באייר תשס"ז

A new spin to an old story. Esther 4:13-14 on modern day witch hunts. It is a Jewish issue.

Then Esther bade them to return answer unto Mordechai: 'Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the witches.

For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then will relief and deliverance arise to the witches from another place, but thou and thy father's house will perish; and who knoweth whether thou art not come to royal estate for such a time as this?'

Technorati tags: psychics discrimination injustice intolerance philadelphia crusaders witch hunt purim

Crusaders Shut Down Psychics In Philadelphia

The days of the witch hunts have returned.

Jason @ The Wild Hunt reports:

An obscure and unused law against professional fortune-telling in Philadelphia has been revived, and as a result several businesses have already been shut down.

It seems the Department of Licenses and Inspections was alerted to the law by the local police department, but it remains to be known why this law was suddenly enforced now and not in the past thirty years. Quotas? Disgruntled customer(s) who looked up the law and complained to the police? Christian crusaders on and off the police force? What is clear is that the Deputy L&I Commissioner Dominic E. Verdi has a very clear idea of who he is shutting down.

"Inspectors are not imposing fines, and police are not making arrests, Verdi said, "but they will if these people try to return to work."

Battles over psychic bans are very much a part of our history, from Z. Budapest's historic arrest in California, to the recent victory in overturning North Carolina's fortune-telling laws. Such laws against fortune-telling are often a warning sign that the "moral" local government is wanting to crack down on the "occult element" (and have been fought for just that reason). Anti-psychic laws, while popular with moral crusaders in some areas blatantly violate our Constitutional rights.

Read the full article here.

Technorati tags: psychics discrimination injustice intolerance philadelphia crusaders witch hunt

Active Policy Of Discrimination Covered Up

ז' באייר תשס"ז

Documents demonstrating an active policy of bias and discrimination against witches may have been covered up by the settlement which will allow the pentacle to be placed on Wiccan veteran memorials. The Wildhunt reports, Dan Pulliam discusses the case for Get Religion:

...unfortunately, the story has been swept up by politics when it is not clear that it was directly related to politics ... There seems to be good second-hand evidence that the VA's decision [to stall approval of the pentacle for over nine years despite the approvals of at least 6 other religious symbols within that same time] was indeed influenced by statements made by President Bush. But the terms of the settlement with the VA kept those documents from coming out. Call me a skeptic (because I am about most things), but as a reporter I would not be satisfied with that (as) an answer.

As a layperson, I am not satified that evidence for an active policy of bias and discrimination has been covered up either.

Technorati tags: discrimination religious discrimination intolerance religious intolerance bigotry VA pentacle lawsuit social justice conspiracy of coverup