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<DIV>My question is this:</DIV>
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<DIV>Why shouldn't a person who has given their life for their country be
allowed to have anything they please on their grave markers at VA
cemeteries? Why is there even a list of "approved religious
symbols"? Didn't one fighting and dying for our country die
fighting for freedom of expression and free of (or from) religion?</DIV>
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<DIV>Outrage!</DIV>
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<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>W.</DIV>
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<H1>Soldiers' widows sue for pagan symbols on headstones</H1>
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<P><B>MADISON, Wisconsin</B> (AP) -- The Star of David is OK, as are more
than a dozen variations of the Christian cross. Even the atomic whirl used
by atheists gets the thumbs-up from the federal government.</P>
<P>But a Wiccan symbol representing earth, air, fire, water and spirit
isn't recognized by the federal government for veterans' grave
markers.</P>
<P>A federal lawsuit filed Monday accuses the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs of violating the constitutional rights of Wiccans because the
government does not allow its symbol on headstones in national
cemeteries.</P>
<P>"I honestly think there must be some people who don't want to
acknowledge that the Wiccan religion should be entitled to the same rights
as other religions," said Selena Fox, who is senior minister of the Wiccan
Circle Sanctuary in Barneveld, Wisconsin.</P>
<P>Roberta Stewart, a widow of a soldier killed in Afghanistan last year,
has waged her own personal war to see the Wiccan pentacle placed on the
tombstone of her husband, Nevada National Guard Sgt. Patrick Stewart.</P>
<P>Stewart, whose husband was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart,
was rebuffed by federal veterans' officials when she sought approval to
affix the pentacle to the Veterans' Memorial Wall in Nevada, but state
officials said they would erect a plaque with the symbol.</P>
<P>Stewart said she had the plight of other families in mind when she
decided to file the lawsuit. Joining her are Karen DePolito, of Utah,
whose husband, Jerome Birnbaum, is a Korean War veteran who died last
year; Circle Sanctuary; and Isis Invicta Military Mission, a Wiccan and
Pagan congregation serving military personnel based in Geyserville,
California.</P>
<P>The lawsuit claims the VA has made "excuse after excuse" for more than
nine years for not approving the pentacle, and argues that constitutional
rights of freedom of speech, religion and due process have been violated
by the department's not acting on requests to allow the symbol.</P>
<P>The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Madison and the U.S.
Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, seeks an order
compelling the VA to make a decision.</P>
<P>The VA issued a statement Monday that outlined the procedure under way
to create uniform standards under which new symbols can be accepted, but
did not comment on the lawsuit itself.</P>
<P>Legal papers filed by attorneys for Americans United for Separation of
Church and State, a religious liberty watchdog group, said it makes no
sense for Wiccans to be excluded.</P>
<P>The Army allows Wiccan soldiers to 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,
attorneys said.</P>
<P>Wiccans worship the Earth and believe they must give to the community.
Some consider themselves "white" or good witches, pagans or neo-pagans.
Approximately 1,800 active-duty service members identify themselves as
Wiccans, according to 2005 Defense Department
statistics.</P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>