VA Allows Wiccan Symbols on Headstones

Source: Associated Press

The Wiccan pentacle has been added to the list of emblems allowed in national cemeteries and on goverment-issued headstones of fallen soldiers, according to a settlement announced Monday.

A settlement between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Wiccans adds the five-pointed star to the list of "emblems of belief" allowed on VA grave markers.

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The settlement calls for the pentacle, whose five points represent earth, air, fire, water and spirit, to be placed on grave markers within 14 days for those who have pending requests with the VA.

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"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 the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which represented the Wiccans in the lawsuit.

Read more: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/04/23/national/a094750D60.DTL

The Lakota faith was illegal to be practiced in this country until the 1970s, and was only practiced in secret. The "freedom of religion" has been something that we are still working on getting. Glad this is another step in that direction.

even though I am not one. To deny them was to diminish the rights of all of us.

WAY overdue.

This is a basic Constitutional right.

We are finally good enough to die for America.
Next would be actually treating Wiccan troops well while they were alive,
but this is a first step.

Your family just couldn't honor your memory in a way that would honor your beliefs. Now they can.

There are SO many Wiccans/pagans in the military. Finally an end to telling them their faith isn't good enough, but their blood is.

at a VERY high rate (no doubt by "christians" who claim to love America).

A little donation drive at Witchvox would probably cover any costs easily.

That's the thing about us.... they keep knocking us down and we keep standing right back up, more determined then ever.

About friggin' time!

:toast:

If, like me, you had no clue what this phrase meant:

In Neo-Paganism and Wicca, the phrase Amen is not normally used, being seen as Christian in origin. However, the rather archaic phrase So mote it be is often used instead, with basically the same meaning (mote is an archaic form of may). This possibly derives from Freemasonry, where in certain rituals the phrase "Amen, so mote it be" is used.

(From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/So_mote_it_be#The_Term_.22Blessed_Be.22)

So the Wiccans have their constitutional rights respected, and some of us learn a little more about their religion in the process!

'Ancient Wisdom and Pagan Spirituality Group' where I post often.

Best Witches, Icy

:toast:

We have Pagan/Wiccan service members putting their lives on the line daily all over the world. They deserve to have their religious symbol on their marker just as every other veteran does.

This has been stonewalled by the VA since '96. Local article:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/243290_pagan04.html

This is personal for me since I know Scott. He's been fighting for this for years. I'm glad he can specify the Pentacle on his marker.

attended as part of the Circle Sanctuary press credentialed individuals to tell me the good news. She is a veteran of the Navy and works for the VA, so she is doubly thrilled to know she will be able to have the pentacle on her grave marker when she finally needs one. It will be interesting to see what Pat Robertson and James Dobson have to say about this decision. Probably tell their followers that they are 'doing the Lord's work' if they vandalize or destroy stones with the pentacle on them.

And thank Spirit Pagans finally received the right they should have had a long, long time ago!

Barry Lynn is both a UCC rev. and a J.D. (law degree)!

I'm proud to be a monthly donor to AUSCS!

See the list here: http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm/hmemb.asp

You can have an Atheist symbol (a stylized atom with a letter "A" at the center") or the "Humanist Emblem of Spirit".

I didn't know there were so many other choices, I'm glad Wiccan's have representation now that was a big step!!

Thieves will most likely try to steal plates with the Pentacle on them. Especially if they are on a plate that is attached to the stone.

I have a relative that was in both World Wars, and his brass plate was stolen within a few months of the placement. Evidently unique plates are 'prized', so to speak.

I would be especially vigilant during the Halloween timeframe. It's sad to say, but I would be very worried about some chucklehead trying to steal these at that time.

Especially during the season when the veils between worlds are thin.

at our Catholic Church. I just figured that I was just getting back the money that my parents were erroneously donating to the Catholic Church. Seriously, those locks were a joke.

Some will get dragged by the Fates, while others are led.

society, and that I had no fear of other's superstitions.

well don't take seriously a bunch of people running around in costumes!

While I'm glad that Wiccans get their own cemetery sign just like those good Baptists, as a scientific researcher and entrepreneur I find all these sky guys and gals very silly.

:grouphug:

I don't always respond, but I do read them :)

:blush:

Source: CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/23/wiccan.grave.ap/index.html

MADISON, Wisconsin (AP) -- The Wiccan pentacle has been added to the list of emblems allowed in national cemeteries and on government-issued headstones of fallen soldiers, according to a settlement announced Monday.

A settlement between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Wiccans adds the five-pointed star to the list of "emblems of belief" allowed on VA grave markers.

Eleven families nationwide are waiting for grave markers with the pentacle, said Selena Fox, a Wiccan high priestess with Circle Sanctuary in Barneveld, Wisconsin, a plaintiff in the lawsuit.

The settlement calls for the pentacle, whose five points represent earth, air, fire, water and spirit, to be placed on grave markers within 14 days for those who have pending requests with the VA.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/23/wiccan.grave.ap/index.html

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Dobson will be livid.

:headbang:

If you have no religious preference, I'll bet they still give you a cross on the headstone.

32 other groups had their symbols approved, but they went through the process to get them. Its time consuming, but clearly a functional apporach. Was it even attempted for the Wiccans?

they have been trying to get wiccan headstones for almost 10 years, the VA denied 3 times, then took the application and held it for over a year without a response before the first lawsuit was filed.

that they were in the process of changing the rules on how faith symbols were approved, so they couldn't approve a new symbol. But never issued the new rules and during the time the rules were allegedly in development, they approved several other faith symbols.

:)

This is great news! K&R

Just out of curiosity, what are the other 38 symbols allowed? I tried to Google it with no success.

List available here: http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm/hmemb.asp

It's already been updated to include the pentacle, so there are now 39 in all.

An interesting note at the bottom of the list: "No graphics (logos, symbols, etc.) are permitted on Government-furnished headstones or markers other than the approved emblems of belief, the Civil War Union Shield, the Civil War Confederate Southern Cross of Honor, and the Medal of Honor insignias." So, it appears that, while the Wiccans had to go through all this effort to have the pentacle included among the emblems of belief, the government was happily allowing headstones to honor the Confederacy. I guess the Wiccans should have held slaves and made war against the United States, and then they would've been OK.

The Christian Scientists and Muslims need to pay a licensing fee to put their symbols on their stone... Look at emblems 37 and 38... not printed "because of copyrights" Not sure I understand that entirely.

This paves the way for a fight to include the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

That's cause for celebration these days! :)

An attack on any one pagan is an attack on all, a victory by one is a victory for all! Good to see that we won this round, now to push forward to the next one regardless of what the Robertsons and Falwells and Dobsons say about it.

a sad statement about the forces that are insidiously invading government

Sad that this was ever an issue.

What if I want the coat of arms of my soccer club?

... have to say about this? I went there in search of some rants that might give me a chuckle. Not so. It was like reading DU comments. Did Rimjob cut out all of the really over-the-top fundie stuff I expected?


"Personally, I just add that to the pile of ridiculous things people choose to believe in the name of religion and move on."

"In the eyes of a secular government, all faiths should be treated equally."

“They fought for our country, there’s no reason not to bury them under the symbol of the faith that they’ve chosen.”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1822235/posts

:kick:

Hekate

It's about fucking time. Thank Goddess.

Well done Virginia.

I've been following this story for a while--so glad it finally was decided in our favor! :woohoo:

Now...on to the heavy task of teaching the rest of America that Wicca is an actual religion that is recognized by the U.S. gov't (in general, not just the headstone thing) and, even tougher, that the pentagram is NOT the symbol of Satan and, in fact, wiccans don't even believe that Satan exists...

I read this same good news from friends on myspace. It is amazing the VA waited so long when you already have a choice of other "demonized" belief systems in this country like: Muslim, Humanist, Athiest, and Unitarian.

I wouldn't worry so much about vandalisim and such, be happy that we won another freedom during these times.

)O(