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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Concerning Wicca –<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><a href="http://www.wicca.org/">http://www.wicca.org/</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Tom Hansen<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><font size=2
color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'>Moscow</span></font></st1:City><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>, <st1:State
w:st="on">Idaho</st1:State></span></font></st1:place><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
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<p><font size=2 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
color:navy'>************************************************<br>
<br>
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."<br>
<br>
- Benjamin Franklin<br>
<br>
************************************************</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
vision2020-bounces@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Ellen Roskovich<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Tuesday, July 04, 2006 9:43
AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> privatejf32@hotmail.com;
vision2020@moscow.com<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> RE: [Vision2020] A New
Witch Hunt</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p><strong><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>There
is a Canadian website that I've found helpful in giving insite into a number of
religions and there's a section on Wicca. You might want to check out <a
href="http://www.religioustolerance.org">www.religioustolerance.org</a> .</span></font></b></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Then,
for those of other faiths, I'd like to hear back how you found your religion to
be represented on this site. Is it fairly accurate? Do you agree. .
. disagree? </span></font></b></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Just
think of it as a little spiritual homework. . . can't hurt ya!</span></font></b></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><strong><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Ellen A. Roskovich</span></font></b></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Tahoma'>From: <i><span style='font-style:italic'>"J
Ford" <privatejf32@hotmail.com></span></i><br>
To: <i><span style='font-style:italic'>vision2020@moscow.com</span></i><br>
Subject: <i><span style='font-style:italic'>RE: [Vision2020] A New
Witch Hunt</span></i><br>
Date: <i><span style='font-style:italic'>Mon, 03 Jul 2006 18:03:10
-0700</span></i><br>
>For any Wiccans out there, could you please point me to a good web <br>
>site(s) that would give a history and overview, if you will, of your <br>
>faith? I am studing the Middle Ages and am interested in Wiccans
as <br>
>well as Driuids. Really interesting stuff. I am
finding that the <br>
>things we were told as children is not quite what really was in both <br>
>of those faiths.<br>
><br>
>I am also finding that "witches", as defined in those times, was
not <br>
>necessarily the correct term for what people were doing. For <br>
>instance, a "healer" could be labled a witch when all they really
<br>
>did was act as conduit for God's healing or as a doctor, as we call <br>
>them today. It seems to me that the Diciples could easily have
held <br>
>that same label had they lived in those times.<br>
><br>
>Today, I learned from a friend who e-mailed me and who is an author <br>
>(don't worry, Miss Joan - you're still my favorite one) and has <br>
>researched the Middle Ages to great length, that "bull throat" or
<br>
>Morbus Suffocos was what we would call diptheria, today. Back
then, <br>
>it was fatal and considered a punishment for "evil acts", but
today <br>
>it is recognized as an illness they can cure and prevent.<br>
><br>
>Anyway, any information and personal insight would be appreciated.<br>
><br>
>Thanks.<br>
><br>
>J :]<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
>>From: "Tom Hansen" <thansen@moscow.com><br>
>>To: "<st1:PersonName w:st="on">Joan Opyr</st1:PersonName>"
<joanopyr@moscow.com>, "'Moscow
Vision <br>
>>2020'" <vision2020@moscow.com><br>
>>Subject: [Vision2020] A New Witch Hunt<br>
>>Date: Mon, 3 Jul 2006 16:37:17 -0700<br>
>><br>
>>An editorial from the July 10, 2006 edition of the Army Times -<br>
>><br>
>>For you Wiccans out there. You know who you are.<br>
>><br>
>>----------------------------------------------------------------<br>
>><br>
>>A New Witch Hunt<br>
>>Search for recognition falls victim to misconceptions about Wicca<br>
>><br>
>>By Charles C. Haynes<br>
>><br>
>>The current flap involving Wiccans in the military is a conflict <br>
>>that should<br>
>>never have happened. But years of foot-dragging by the Department <br>
>>of<br>
>>Veterans Affairs have turned an easy case into a major controversy <br>
>>complete<br>
>>with charges of discrimination and threats of lawsuits.<br>
>><br>
>>All VA needs to do is announce that the pentacle - a five-pointed <br>
>>star that<br>
>>symbolizes the Wiccan faith - has been added to the list of 38 <br>
>>"emblems of<br>
>>belief" approved for placement on government headstones and <br>
>>memorials. No<br>
>>big deal, end of story.<br>
>><br>
>>Instead, VA keeps saying that it is "reviewing the process" -
and <br>
>>will make<br>
>>a decision at some indeterminate time in the future.<br>
>><br>
>>Roberta Stewart has been hearing this bureaucratic mumbo jumbo for <br>
>>the past<br>
>>eight months. She just wants to honor her husband, Patrick, a <br>
>>soldier in the<br>
>>Nevada National Guard killed in combat last September in <br>
>><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
Sgt.<br>
>>Stewart, who was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple <br>
>>Heart,<br>
>>among other honors, was a Wiccan.<br>
>><br>
>>But Stewart's request to have a pentacle engraved on her husband's <br>
>>memorial<br>
>>plaque has been repeatedly denied pending review of the VA policy. <br>
>>His space<br>
>>on the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial wall remains blank.<br>
>><br>
>>Eventually, VA will have no choice but to allow the pentacle. <br>
>><st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nevada</st1:place></st1:State><br>
>>politicians from both parties, as well as advocacy groups from the <br>
>>left and<br>
>>right, are demanding the change.<br>
>><br>
>>Then there is the small matter of the First Amendment: It's clearly<br>
>>unconstitutional for the government to deny the Wiccan symbol while<br>
>>permitting symbols of many other religions.<br>
>><br>
>>If approval of the pentacle is inevitable, why is VA taking so long <br>
>>to make<br>
>>a decision?<br>
>><br>
>>For Roberta Stewart, it has been a long and frustrating eight <br>
>>months. But<br>
>>other Wiccans have been pushing for VA recognition of the pentacle <br>
>>for more<br>
>>than nine years. (According to the Defense Department, some 1,900<br>
>>active-duty service members identify themselves as Wiccans.)<br>
>><br>
>>At first blush, the years of VA stonewalling doesn't make sense. A <br>
>>glance at<br>
>>the 38 approved emblems suggests that any religion can make the <br>
>>list. In<br>
>>addition to all of the world's major faiths, a number of obscure <br>
>>sects are<br>
>>represented, such as Eckankar, a New Age group that espouses <br>
>>out-of-body<br>
>>travel. Atheists have a symbol, too. If VA is applying some kind of<br>
>>religious test to keep out the Wiccans, it's hard to fathom what it <br>
>>might<br>
>>be.<br>
>><br>
>>Before last fall, VA blamed the rules. Applicants had to provide<br>
>>documentation from a central authority certifying a symbol as <br>
>>representative<br>
>>of that religion. Because Wiccans have no recognized head or <br>
>>hierarchy,<br>
>>their applications were rejected. Rules are rules.<br>
>><br>
>>Bipartisan outrage over Sgt. Stewart's case inspired a new set of <br>
>>rules.<br>
>>Now, applicants are required to provide historic background and<br>
>>documentation of use to get a symbol approved. Roberta Stewart has <br>
>>filled<br>
>>out all of the forms. But she's still waiting.<br>
>><br>
>>So what's the problem? VA isn't talking. But the delay may have to <br>
>>do with<br>
>>the fact that Roberta Stewart went public. Putting atheists on the <br>
>>list when<br>
>>no one is paying attention is one thing, but announcing recognition <br>
>>of the<br>
>>Wiccan pentacle in the glare of the media spotlight is another.<br>
>><br>
>>Few people have even heard of Eckankar, but almost everyone has an <br>
>>opinion<br>
>>about Wiccans. Unfortunately, most of what people think they know <br>
>>about<br>
>>Wicca is false. Wicca is a nature-based religion centered on a <br>
>>belief that<br>
>>the divine permeates all life. Wiccans have nothing to do with <br>
>>black magic<br>
>>or satanic worship, but try explaining that to a misinformed <br>
>>public.<br>
>><br>
>>VA is probably remembering the last time Wiccans in the military <br>
>>made<br>
>>headlines. About six years ago, news reports of Wiccan ceremonies <br>
>>at Fort<br>
>><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Hood</st1:City>, <st1:State
w:st="on">Texas</st1:State></st1:place>, and other bases provoked some
conservative Christian <br>
>>groups to<br>
>>call on Christians not to enlist or re-enlist in the Army.<br>
>><br>
>>Under the First Amendment, the Army had no choice then, just as VA <br>
>>has no<br>
>>choice now, but to accommodate Wiccans in the same way it <br>
>>accommodates other<br>
>>religious groups. But any "acceptance" of witches - who have
long <br>
>>been<br>
>>demonized in Christian history - is certain to stir up trouble for <br>
>>the<br>
>>military.<br>
>><br>
>>It's also possible that VA lawyers are beginning to realize that <br>
>>any<br>
>>guidelines for government-sanctioned "emblems of belief,"
however <br>
>>carefully<br>
>>crafted, are unworkable. In a nation where people are free to <br>
>>choose in<br>
>>matters of faith, the government should stop trying to figure out <br>
>>which<br>
>>symbols are "acceptable" and instead allow each family to
choose <br>
>>whatever<br>
>>symbol best represents their convictions.<br>
>><br>
>>In other words, cut through all of the bureaucratic red tape and <br>
>>jettison<br>
>>the "emblems of belief" list entirely.<br>
>><br>
>>Meanwhile, however, VA should act immediately to honor Roberta <br>
>>Stewart's<br>
>>request and fill in the blank space reserved for Sgt. Stewart. <br>
>>After all, if<br>
>>we can't live up to religious freedom at home, we have no business <br>
>>asking<br>
>>soldiers to die for religious freedom abroad.<br>
>><br>
>>----------------------------------------------------------------<br>
>><br>
>>Seeya round town, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:City>.<br>
>><br>
>>Tom Hansen<br>
>><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Moscow</st1:City>, <st1:State
w:st="on">Idaho</st1:State></st1:place><br>
>><br>
>>"Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but
the <br>
>>tranquil<br>
>>and steady dedication of a lifetime."<br>
>><br>
>>--Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr.<br>
>><br>
>><br>
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