This is huge.
The Bush administration has conceded that Wiccans are entitled to have the pentacle, the symbol of their faith, inscribed on government-issued memorial markers for deceased veterans, Americans United for Separation of Church and State announced today.
This settlement happened because of the persistence of Roberta Stewart, widow of slain Iraqi war veteran Patrick Stewart, and of Selena Fox, Circle Sanctuary, and of thousands of Pagans who wrote letters, signed petitions, blogged, and more. They all deserve enormous praise. I hope Ms. Stewart rests easier tonight.
Sadly, the lawsuit was settled because Americans United for Separation of Church and State was able to discover a specific pattern of discrimination against Wicca in the handling of the Pentacle petition.
Even some Pagans have kind of sneered at this case, and suggested that it was ridiculous to think it was discrimination when it was probably nothing more than beaurocracy or some failure to follow a particular rule or something equally “innocent.” The Libertarian set was quick to bitch about our litigious society and impugn the motives of those who carried this fight forward. But Americans United proved that discrimination was at the root of the problem, forcing the government to settle.
A Wiccan group first petitioned the VA for approval of the pentacle years ago. Officials at the agency dragged their feet on the request but in the interim approved the symbols of six other religions and belief systems. Among them was a Sikh emblem, which the VA approved in just a few weeks.
This is a huge and sorely needed victory for religious freedom. We see so little of the good stuff. Yay!
Now, About That Flying Spaghetti Monster……
The lawsuit resulting from the case of fallen Wiccan soldier Sgt. Patrick Stewart (background here and follow-up here) has been settled—and Deborah Lipp’s got the scoop, noting “This is a huge and sorely needed victory for religious f…
This is good news indeed.
I will admit that I was one of those people who at one time wondered whether the problem was actual bigotry or mere beaurocractic/military stupidity (which can be just as infuriating). I’d like to think I never actually sneered about the whole thing though. I certainly thought those involved were doing the right thing by pushing the issue forward.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with wondering if it isn’t just beaurocracy, although the circumstances didn’t support that once you looked into it. What bothered me was the people who implied it was somehow unseemly or “just not Pagan” to persue the matter.
I don’t understand Pagans who think it’s wrong to pursue issues like this. I’m very proud and excited about all the work we have put into this and I look forward to tackling on others so that future generations and snotty broom closet cases can take it all for granted.
You said it.
[…] the salaries of members of the Armed Forces. You know, the Armed Forces where Wiccans serve, and die. Those Armed Forces. It is perfectly appropriate, if a group meets court tests for […]