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<P><STRONG>What I personally am "embracing" is a persons right to practice the religion of their choice (or no religion) in peace within our community.</STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG>And, NO, I do not like Bush.</STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG>Ellen A. Roskovich</STRONG><BR><BR></P></DIV>
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<DIV></DIV>From: <I>"rvrcowboy" <rvrcowboy@clearwire.net></I><BR>To: <I>"Vision2020" <vision2020@moscow.com>, "Art Deco" <deco@moscow.com></I><BR>Subject: <I>Re: [Vision2020] A New Witch Hunt</I><BR>Date: <I>Wed, 5 Jul 2006 10:39:21 -0700</I><BR>>It is so amusing to see how so many of the libs here in the venom are<BR>>embracing Wicca while admitting they know little, or nothing, about it. It<BR>>is always the same with you people: Any President but Bush and any religion<BR>>but Christianity.<BR>><BR>>You are so very translucent.<BR>><BR>>Dick S.<BR>>----- Original Message -----<BR>>From: "Art Deco" <deco@moscow.com><BR>>To: "Vision 2020" <vision2020@moscow.com><BR>>Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2006 8:40 AM<BR>>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] A New Witch
Hunt<BR>><BR>><BR>> > Debi writes:<BR>> ><BR>> > "Wicca does not have a Central Authority, it does not have Pastors,<BR>> > Preachers, or Popes. It doesn't seek converts, doesn't proselytize,<BR>>doesn't<BR>> > reject other religions as non-valid."<BR>> ><BR>> > Holy Jesus! Are you daring to say that a person can be religious,<BR>> > spiritual, kind, loving, concerned about humankind/animalkind etc without<BR>>an<BR>> > organized church to provide detailed instruction and to suck away their<BR>> > money?<BR>> ><BR>> > I am sorry but your egregiously perverted view has now placed you among<BR>> > other major perverts of the past: Buddha, Confucius, Christ, Plato,<BR>> > Aristotle, Bertrand Russell, Jean Paul Sartre, etc.<BR>> ><BR>> > Why, if what
you say has any truth at all, then a whole lot of<BR>>egomaniacal,<BR>> > megalomaniacal, and/or just uncritically dumb parasites would be instantly<BR>> > unemployed.<BR>> ><BR>> ><BR>> > Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)<BR>> > deco@moscow.com<BR>> ><BR>> > ----- Original Message -----<BR>> > From: <debismith@moscow.com><BR>> > To: <vision2020@moscow.com><BR>> > Sent: Tuesday, July 04, 2006 9:17 PM<BR>> > Subject: Re: [Vision2020] A New Witch Hunt<BR>> ><BR>> ><BR>> > > Thanks for posting this, Tom. Also to all of you who have taken enough<BR>> > > interest in Wicca to do<BR>> > > a bit of research.<BR>> > ><BR>> > > While approximately 1,900 in the military are *out of the broom<BR>> > > closet*, many more do not identify themselves as Wiccan
simply to<BR>>protect<BR>> > > themselves.Unless<BR>> > > a base has a fairly large contingent of Wiccans (as did Fort Hood), it<BR>>can<BR>> > > be dangerous to let<BR>> > > others know this religion is the one practiced.<BR>> > ><BR>> > > Wicca does not have a Central Authority, it does not have Pastors,<BR>> > > Preachers, or Popes. It<BR>> > > doesn't seek converts, doesn't proseletize, doesn't reject other<BR>>religions<BR>> > > as nonvalid. What<BR>> > > it has is a belief that Diety is imminent, not transcendent, and a focus<BR>> > > on care for the Earth<BR>> > > and all that inhabits Her. It has one basic tenet: And It Harm None.<BR>>This<BR>> > > means anything one<BR>> > > puts out into the Universe will return
thrice-fold. If it is good deeds,<BR>> > > there is a return. If, as in my<BR>> > > case, it is snarky e-mails to those I feel it necessary to confront, I<BR>>get<BR>> > > three equally snotty e-<BR>> > > mails back. I'm sometimes willing to take the *karmic hit* and just push<BR>> > > *send*, knowing full<BR>> > > well Dick, Lame-o Doug, Donovan, or one of the over-aged juvenile<BR>>Kirkers<BR>> > > will attempt to insult<BR>> > > me or even start cyber-stalking again.<BR>> > ><BR>> > > I am open about my spiritual beliefs. I am open about my political<BR>>agenda.<BR>> > > I am open about<BR>> > > just about everything, because when one attempts secrecy it leaves one<BR>> > > open to blackmail.<BR>> > > One of the v2020 posters, in the not so distant
past, attempted to *out*<BR>> > > me (I was already out,<BR>> > > so BFD), attempted to *report* me to a higher authority (there isn't<BR>>one,<BR>> > > so he just annoyed<BR>> > > people who didn't care), and attempted to *shame* me for my out-spoken<BR>> > > behavior (I save<BR>> > > feeling ashamed for when I have inadvertantly caused someone pain--I'm<BR>>not<BR>> > > ever ashamed of<BR>> > > calling it like I see it).<BR>> > ><BR>> > > It breaks my heart when I hear that others who share my religious<BR>>beliefs<BR>> > > are disrespected in<BR>> > > the<BR>> > > way Patrick Stewart and his family have been disrespected. While I may<BR>>not<BR>> > > agree with the<BR>> > > religious perspectives of some others, their right to belief is
never in<BR>> > > question. Somehow,<BR>> > > Wicca is different than all other faiths?<BR>> > ><BR>> > > It is particularly poignant that Wiccan beliefs are likely the most<BR>> > > inoffensive of just about any<BR>> > > religion, yet, through misunderstanding and prejudice, many people still<BR>> > > think Wicca is devil<BR>> > > worship or casting evil spells. These ideas don't have any application<BR>>to<BR>> > > Wicca. We don't even<BR>> > > believe in *the Devil*, and (remember Harm None?) just don't do<BR>> > > imprecatory prayers or evil<BR>> > > spells. We spend our time recycling, growing organic food, taking care<BR>>of<BR>> > > others, sharing what<BR>> > > we have with those who have less, volunteering in our community,
being<BR>> > > involved in politics,<BR>> > > and paying attention to the changing seasons (both real and<BR>> > > metaphorically).<BR>> > ><BR>> > > I am hopeful that the VA will get some sense, stop listening to those<BR>>who<BR>> > > act out of prejudice<BR>> > > rather than information, and allow Roberta Stewart to honor her husband<BR>> > > with the symbol of his<BR>> > > faith. Blessed Be, Roberta.<BR>> > ><BR>> > > Debi Robinson-Smith<BR>> > ><BR>> > > "Never retract, never explain, never apologize, just get the job done<BR>>and<BR>> > > let them howl."<BR>> > > -------Iron Jawed Angels<BR>> > > (Thanks to Lois Blackburn, a true Iron Jawed Angel!)<BR>> > ><BR>> > ><BR>> > ><BR>> > >
From: "Tom Hansen" <thansen@moscow.com><BR>> > > To: "Joan Opyr" <joanopyr@moscow.com>,<BR>> > > "'Moscow Vision 2020'" <vision2020@moscow.com><BR>> > > Date sent: Mon, 3 Jul 2006 16:37:17 -0700<BR>> > > Copies to:<BR>> > > Subject: [Vision2020] A New Witch Hunt<BR>> > ><BR>> > > [ Double-click this line for list subscription options ]<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 that<BR>> > > should<BR>> > > never have happened. But years of foot-dragging by the Department 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 star<BR>> > > that<BR>> > > symbolizes the Wiccan faith - has been added to the list of 38 "emblems<BR>>of<BR>>
> > belief" approved for placement on government headstones and memorials.<BR>>No<BR>> > > big deal, end of story.<BR>> > ><BR>> > > Instead, VA keeps saying that it is "reviewing the process" - and will<BR>> > > make<BR>> > > a decision at some indeterminate time in the future.<BR>> > ><BR>> > > Roberta Stewart has been hearing this bureaucratic mumbo jumbo for the<BR>> > > past<BR>> > > eight months. She just wants to honor her husband, Patrick, a soldier in<BR>> > > the<BR>> > > Nevada National Guard killed in combat last September in Afghanistan.<BR>>Sgt.<BR>> > > Stewart, who was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple 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. His<BR>> > > space<BR>> > > on the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial wall remains blank.<BR>> > ><BR>> > > Eventually, VA will have no choice but to allow the pentacle. Nevada<BR>> > > politicians from both parties, as well as advocacy groups from the left<BR>> > > 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 to<BR>> > >
make<BR>> > > a decision?<BR>> > ><BR>> > > For Roberta Stewart, it has been a long and frustrating eight months.<BR>>But<BR>> > > other Wiccans have been pushing for VA recognition of the pentacle for<BR>> > > 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<BR>> > > at<BR>> > > the 38 approved emblems suggests that any religion can make the list. In<BR>> > > addition to all of the world's major faiths, a number of obscure sects<BR>>are<BR>> > > represented, such as Eckankar, a New Age group that espouses 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 hierarchy,<BR>> > > their applications were rejected. Rules are rules.<BR>> > ><BR>> > > Bipartisan outrage over Sgt. Stewart's case inspired a new set of 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 do<BR>>with<BR>> > > the fact that Roberta Stewart went public. Putting atheists on the list<BR>> > > when<BR>> > > no one is paying attention is one thing, but announcing recognition of<BR>>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 about<BR>> > > Wicca is false. Wicca is a nature-based religion centered on a belief<BR>>that<BR>> > > the divine permeates all life. Wiccans have nothing to do with black<BR>>magic<BR>> > > or satanic worship, but try explaining that to a misinformed
public.<BR>> > ><BR>> > > VA is probably remembering the last time Wiccans in the military made<BR>> > > headlines. About six years ago, news reports of Wiccan ceremonies at<BR>>Fort<BR>> > > Hood, Texas, and other bases provoked some conservative Christian groups<BR>> > > 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 has<BR>>no<BR>> > > choice now, but to accommodate Wiccans in the same way it accommodates<BR>> > > other<BR>> > > religious groups. But any "acceptance" of witches - who have long been<BR>> > > demonized in Christian history - is certain to stir up trouble for the<BR>> > > military.<BR>> > ><BR>> > > It's also possible that VA
lawyers are beginning to realize that any<BR>> > > guidelines for government-sanctioned "emblems of belief," however<BR>> > > carefully<BR>> > > crafted, are unworkable. In a nation where people are free to choose in<BR>> > > matters of faith, the government should stop trying to figure out 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 Stewart's<BR>> > > request and fill in the blank space reserved for Sgt. Stewart. After<BR>>all,<BR>> > >
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, Moscow.<BR>> > ><BR>> > > Tom Hansen<BR>> > > Moscow, Idaho<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>> > > =====================================================<BR>> > > List services made available by First Step Internet,<BR>> > > serving the communities of the Palouse since
1994.<BR>> > > http://www.fsr.net<BR>> > > mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>> > > ====================================================<BR>> > ><BR>> > > ------- End of forwarded message -------<BR>> > ><BR>> > > ------- End of forwarded message -------<BR>> > ><BR>> > > =====================================================<BR>> > > List services made available by First Step Internet,<BR>> > > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<BR>> > > http://www.fsr.net<BR>> >
> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>> > > ====================================================<BR>> > ><BR>> > ><BR>> ><BR>> > =====================================================<BR>> > List services made available by First Step Internet,<BR>> > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<BR>> > http://www.fsr.net<BR>> > mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>> > ====================================================<BR>> ><BR>><BR>>=====================================================<BR>> List services made available by First Step
Internet,<BR>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<BR>> http://www.fsr.net<BR>> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>>====================================================<BR></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></div></html>