[Vision2020] Wiccans Get Grave Marker Symbol

[Tom Hansen]

>From today's (April 23, 2007) Roundup Edition of the Army Times -

It's about time.

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Wiccans get grave marker symbol

By Scott Bauer - The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Apr 23, 2007

MADISON, Wis. - Wiccans will be allowed to have the symbol of their religion
placed on grave markers in national cemeteries under a lawsuit settlement
with the Department of Veterans Affairs announced Monday.

The settlement calls for the Wiccans' pentacle, a five-pointed star
representing earth, air, fire, water and spirit to be placed on grave
markers within 14 days for those who have pending requests with the VA.

There are 11 families nationwide that are waiting for grave markers with the
pentacle, said Selena Fox, a Wiccan high priestess with Circle Sanctuary in
Barneveld, Wis., and a party to the lawsuit.

"I am glad this has ended in success in time to get markers for Memorial
Day," she said.

The agreement settles a lawsuit filed in November by veterans' widows and
others alleging that the VA has stalled for more than nine years in
recognizing the pentacle. The case, which will be dismissed under the
settlement, was scheduled to go to trial in June in federal court in
Madison.

The pentacle joins 38 religious symbols the VA already permits on
gravestones. They include commonly recognized symbols for Christianity,
Buddhism, Islam and Judaism, as well as those for smaller religions such as
Sufism Reoriented, Eckankar and the Japanese faith Seicho-No-Ie.

The pentacle was already listed as an acceptable symbol Monday morning on
the VA's Web site.

"This settlement has forced the Bush administration into acknowledging that
there are no second-class religions in America, including among our nation's
veterans," said Rev. Barry W. Lynn, director of Americans United for
Separation of Church and State, which brought the lawsuit on behalf of the
Wiccans. "It is a proud day for religious freedom in the United States."

The VA sought the settlement in the interest of the families involved and to
save taxpayers the expense of further litigation, VA spokesman Matt Burns
said. Under the settlement, the VA agreed to pay $225,000 in attorneys' fees
and costs.

The government also agreed to settle when it became clear the Wiccans'
application to have the pentacle recognized would be "favorably considered"
under new rules the VA was working on, Burns said.

A nature-based religion, the Wiccan faith is founded on respect for the
earth, nature and the cycle of the seasons. Wiccans have argued that the
pentacle has gotten a bad reputation because people don't understand the
religion or its imagery. Variations of the pentacle not accepted by the
religion have been used in horror movies as a sign of the devil.

The lawsuit argued that the VA's refusal to act on requests to permit the
symbol on veterans' grave markers violated Wiccans' constitutional rights of
freedom of speech, religion and due process.

The lawsuit also said it made no sense for Wiccan symbols to be banned from
grave markers when Wiccan soldiers can list their faith on dog tags, Wiccan
organizations are allowed to hold services on military installations, and
the Army Chaplains Handbook includes an explanation of the religion.

The lawsuit was filed by Circle Sanctuary; Isis Invicta Military Mission, a
Wiccan and Pagan congregation serving military personnel based in
Geyserville, Calif.; Jill Medicine Heart Combs, whose husband is severely
ill; and two widows of Wiccans - Roberta Stewart of Nevada and Karen
DePolito of Utah.

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the tranquil
and steady dedication of a lifetime." 

--Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr.