5.12.2008
Code Pink Makes Some See Red
There has been a conservative news field-day over a themed protest held by anti-war activist group Code Pink in Berkeley last Friday. The theme? Witchcraft against the war.
"In a call to activists on the Web, the antiwar group appealed to "witches, crones and sirens" to come to the center to "cast spells, weave magic, invoke the foremothers, share wisdom, lead rituals to banish war and violence and bring peace" ... Fox News cameras, which were there to capture the showdown between the Code Pink's theatrical coven and counterprotesters from the pro-military group Move America Forward, which had vowed to stage a "witch hunt" in response to Code Pink's eye-of-newt action."
Some Pagans, most notably Chas Clifton and Anne Hill, took exception to activists appropriating Pagan religion to create a spectacle so they can get more media coverage.
"...they pick the stereotype green-faced Halloween witch instead. They parody our religion for their futile cause. Somehow I don't feel the compliment. One ex-military Pagan wrote to conservative columnist Michelle Malkin to say he was embarrassed by Code Pink too. And that is the thing about today's Pagans: for every lefty pacifist there is one (or probably more) military Pagan."
Which comes to the point that modern Paganism is a religious movement, not a political one. There is no idealogical entrance exam to be a polytheist (or pantheist, or duotheist). Diversity of thought is a hallmark of Pagan existence, and attempts to politicize our movement, for whatever end, are ultimately doomed to failure and marginalization. Code Pink sought to make media waves by sensationalizing Pagan practice, but may have created a magic not of their choosing.
"Ironically, it's actually helped us by putting our name out. We're now well known. And people know who we are, and where we are, and they come in to talk to us about enlisting. They've gotten us the publicity that we could've never afforded to pay for ourselves," Wheatcroft told FOXNews.com. "Just in the last three weeks, 10 people came in looking to apply, looking to become Marine officers, and that's much higher than normal," he said."
Meanwhile, the Pagan community in Berkeley held their annual Pagan Festival and Parade. An event that didn't ignite the newswires, but was possibly more accurate in portraying our shared goals and values.
"People from all walks of life joined in the fun Saturday at the 7th Annual Pagan Festival and Parade. It was a showing of acceptance and celebration across all ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations and faith traditions at the Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park. The event, organized by the Pagan Alliance, brought out a large crowd under this year's theme, "We are Change." The mission of the Pagan Alliance is to promote acceptance of faith and to work for justice. The aim of the event was to foster change, connect communities and promote spiritual diversity. Organizers said they also wanted to dispel common misconceptions that paganism is about devil worship."
Not to sermonize, but modern Pagan faiths embrace both the pacifist and the soldier (not to mention all the people between those two poles). Our diversity and commitment to a personal connection to the gods makes any attempt to codify a single and universal "Pagan politics" frustrating at best, and dangerously fractious at worst. Media feeding-frenzies like this may help Code Pink in the short-term, but can possibly damage outreach and dialog efforts by modern Pagans in the longer term. As Pagan faiths head into the future, we will have to find a way to avoid polarizing our movement into "right" and "left" camps, and maintain the common ground needed to advance rights and privileges for us all.
Labels: Anne Hill, California, Chas Clifton, Code Pink, Military, Pagan Soldiers, Paganism, politics, Wicca, Witchcraft
4.09.2008
Updates on Past Stories
Darla Wynne's Political Aspirations: Wiccan priestess Darla Kaye Wynne was not successful in her run for a seat on the Great Falls Town Council. Wynne, who famously sued the town over sectarian prayers back in 2001, garnered only 32 votes.
"A dozen candidates ran for office in this year's town election, including a former mayor, a school resource officer and the Wiccan priestess who sued the town in 2001, claiming Great Falls violated church and state separation by using the name Jesus Christ in prayers."
Wynne was in a three-way race for a vacated seat. Todd Smith won the seat with over 130 votes, while fellow contender Donna Bryan came in second with 61 votes. Meanwhile, speaking of Pagans running for political office, Sacramento, CA mayoral candidate Muriel Strand has a blog up espousing her views on various issues.
The Theological Necessity of Goats: The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty has filed an appeal on behalf of Jose Merced, a practitioner of Santeria who sued the city of Euless, Texas over the issue of animal sacrifice.
"Why is it okay to butcher a deer in Euless, but not a goat?" said Lori Windham, legal counsel at the Becket Fund, a Washington-based civil rights law firm that defends all religious faiths against government interference. "The issue of Santeria and animal sacrifice has already been decided by the United States Supreme Court. I'm pretty sure the Constitution of the United States still applies in Euless, Texas."
The appeal will be heard by the federal Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. Depending on the outcome there, it is very likely this could go to the Supreme Court. For more on this development, see the Houston Chronicle's article on the appeal.
Vancouver Sex Cult: I originally blogged about this story way back in 2006. It involves a Pagan man who was denied a chauffeur's permit by the Vancouver police due to unfounded accusations that he would use his position to "recruit" people into an imaginary S&M "sex cult". Since then, the Vancouver Police Department has been trying to block the case going to a B.C. Human Rights Tribunal, a course of action that has been stuck down by the courts.
"A B.C. Human Rights Tribunal can investigate sexual practices involving "bondage, discipline and submission, sadism and masochism" to determine whether the Vancouver Police Department discriminated against a self-described pagan, the B.C. Court of Appeal says. For the past two years, the department has wasted our tax money trying to prevent the human rights watchdog from investigating a complaint from Peter Hayes, a Vancouver man refused a chauffeur's permit. The province's highest court said it would be wrong to interfere with the tribunal's process at this point and that the objections of the police force were premature."
A preliminary ruling by the Human Rights Tribunal two years ago stated the case had merit and should go forward. The VPD had argued that BDSM-activities weren't an "orientation", and therefore not protected by Canada's human rights laws, a waters-muddying exercise the courts didn't accept as valid. Hearings will now resume unless a settlement is reached.
Will Amazon Hurt Small Pagan Publishers: In a final note, news about Amazon's move to monopolize the Print-On-Demand market (and why that is bad news for small Pagan publishers) has continued to spread. For further Pagan commentary relating to this issue, check out Lupa's journal (particularly this post), and The Spiritual Eclectic's Amazon-related posts.
"We have always lived by our convictions and if not submitting to the monopoly that Amazon.com is trying to create-not just over bookstores and publishers but over the entire publishing industry-means we never sell another book on Amazon.com, then so be it. We sell primarily through our websites as it is, and we will find other alternatives to Amazon.com."
For an extensive overview of this matter, check out the WritersWeekly Amazon BookSurge Information Clearinghouse, anything you could need to know about Amazon's coercive tactics to seize control of publishing's "Long Tail".
Labels: Amazon.com, animal sacrifice, books, California, Canada, Darla Wynne, human rights, Muriel Strand, Paganism, politics, Print on Demand, Sacramento, Santeria, South Carolina, Texas
3.07.2008
Pagan Running For Sacramento Mayor
Yesterday, Muriel Strand, an activist, mechanical engineer, massage therapist, and Pagan, filed the necessary paperwork in order to run for the mayor's office of Sacramento, California. Strand joins four other registered candidates running against incumbent mayor Heather Fargo, who has served in the office since 2001.
Muriel Strand
Though an incumbent, Fargo's approval rates have sunk to 36% as the city faces a host of fiscal and development-related issues. Her most visible and well-organized competitor in the June 3rd primary is former NBA star Kevin Johnson, but Johnson isn't electrifying potential voters any more than Fargo, and there is an astounding 41% "undecided" in the polls. This leaves the field wide-open for a dark horse candidate like Strand to grab the nomination, especially if Johnson and Fargo spend their time and money smearing one another.
So who is Muriel Strand? What I could piece together is that she is a retired mechanical engineer, who worked on air quality issues in California. Strand is an ardent environmentalist who is in favor of sustainable gardening, she is also in favor of legalizing gambling and against the "war on drugs". Her libertarian streak involving gambling and drugs ends with guns, of which she is in favor of stricter controls.
Spiritually speaking, Strand considers herself a Pagan and a Quaker, and she is a member of the Sacramento Friends Meeting. Strand is also involved in spiritual massage techniques, and claims involvement in Reiki, Ayurvedic Massage, and Shiatsu.
What are Strand's chances? That is anyone's guess. She certainly isn't as well-funded as an incumbent mayor or a former NBA superstar, but a race this volatile involving an electorate this unhappy, could produce any result. Including a serious mayoral contender who happens to be a Pagan (and a Quaker).
Labels: California, Heather Fargo, mayor, Muriel Strand, Paganism, politics, Sacramento
12.14.2007
Hiring Pagans for Prisons
Pagan chaplain Patrick McCollum is in court today to challenge the State of California's limited number of recognized religions.
"Patrick, High Priest of Our Lady of the Wells, has filed on behalf of all Pagans incarcerated in the State of California, in this prison rights case that challenges the State of California's policy of having only five state-recognized religions (Protestant Christian, Roman Catholic Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Native American). Although this case involves Pagan rights, its implications are far-reaching because it addresses separation of church and state issues not only in prison settings but throughout the State of California."
This limited number of accepted religions has far-reaching consequences for prisoners in the State of California (including the denial of basic religious freedoms), and McCollum has been challenging the policy for years.
"Another case against the California Department of Corrections this month was filed by Patrick McCollum himself. The case, which was filed with the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, challenges the state of California's discriminatory hiring policy which only allows the state to hire clergy members from five state designated faiths, Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, and Native American. Patrick has challenged this policy stating that it is a violation of the United States Constitution for any government agency to discriminate in employment on the basis of religion, and that it is a violation of the separation of church and state for the state of California to favor or sponsor any religion over another. This case is the result of the state of California's refusal to accept applications for employment from Wiccans, for open and publicly advertised clergy positions." - 2003 report from the Lady Liberty League
It appears that today's motion will decide if the case will continue to be heard. If McCollumn ultimately wins, it would mean that the State of California could no longer decide which religions receive preferential treatment within the prison system (or within any State-run institution), and it would clear the way for Pagan clergy to be hired for chaplaincy purposes. I'll provide further updates once I know the outcome of the ruling.
Labels: California, Chaplaincy, law, Paganism, Patrick McCollum, Prison, Religion
11.16.2007
Pagans and the American Academy of Religion
If you happen to be on the west coast this weekend, you might want to stop by the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion in San Diego. The AAR is the world's largest association of academics who research or teach topics related to religion, and their annual meeting has become a vital place to hear about the latest scholarship in the field of Pagan Studies. Today, the day before the AAR meeting starts, the annual Conference on Contemporary Pagan Studies is being held.
The theme for this year's CCPS is "Material Culture and the Cutting Edge", and features paper presentations by Chris Klassen on student responses to Witchcraft, and a panel discussion on creating a professional academic profile featuring Doug Cowan, Nikki Bado-Fralick and Paul Thomas. In addition, there will be several research reports from a variety of scholars working in the Pagan Studies field.
As for the AAR Meeting, there are several presentations and panel discussions that the Contemporary Pagan Studies Consultation are involved in. First is the CPSC's session focused on "Pagan Borderlands" featuring presentations by Dr. Wendy Griffin, Barbara Jane Davy, and Laurel Zwissler (among others).
"This session of Contemporary Pagan Studies on "Pagan Borderlands" will address the various ambiguities of the liminal edge - whether as a porous bridging area between diametrically different identities, a defensive bulwark against intrusion or loss, or as the very "edge of chaos" where innovation and dynamic change arise. Mirroring Paganism's own perception of the lethal dangers and sacred gifts of nature, the Pagan navigates the "land at the border" as an awesome zone of both vulnerability and fecundity."
Also of note are the joint sessions the CPSC is holding with the Ritual Studies Group, and the Religion, Politics, and the State Group.
"Pagans at the Gate: Breaking through Church/State Boundaries. Challenges from the margins of America's pluralistic society provide insight into church/state issues well beyond the usual Christian right/secular left dichotomy that prevails in public discourse. Those who have argued for a more prominent role for religion in the public square have invited, perhaps unwittingly, previously obscure religious groups to stake their claims to America's religious freedom and the promise of unbiased government treatment of religion. This panel addresses the struggles of one such group, the Pagans, whose efforts to gain acknowledgment in the public square and to attain their own rights have profound implications for the rights of others."
For a more robust listing of presentations, talks, and panel discussions of interest to modern Pagans check out this link. For those of you disappointed that you couldn't get to California this year to attend, take heart, the next AAR annual meeting is being held in Chicago, which should make it easier for those of us in the Midwest to attend. Pagan involvement in scholarship and academia is a vital component of our maturation, giving us a better understanding of ourselves, and communicating with outsiders the diversity and vitality of our movement.
PS - For my readers interested in Unitarian-Universalism and liberal religion, the blog "Transient and Permanent" has a run-down of UU-related events at the AAR.
Labels: academia, American Academy of Religion, California, Pagan Studies, Paganism
11.15.2007
Noose Problems
2007 seems to be shaping up to be the year of the noose. In the wake of the Jena Six controversy, which started with the hanging of nooses to intimidate black students, the hanging rope seems to have re-entered our consciousness as a symbol of persecution and intimidation (both real and imagined). This new "noose awareness" has sparked a string of intimidating noose placements, in addition to some seemingly innocent/naive uses of the symbol that have generated controversy.
Up until now the harassing noose placements had all been racially motivated, but that seems to have changed now that a noose has been placed outside a Pagan-run metaphysical shop in Bakersfield, California.
"A hangman's noose was found outside a spiritual bookstore in Bakersfield run by a self-proclaimed witch. Police are calling the noose discovered at Altar Bookshoppe, which sells occult books and supplies in Old Town Kern suspicious."
While the report is somewhat sparse, Altar Bookshoppe owner Katie Olivares gives a bit more detail on the case at the Wren's Nest comments for the story.
"What is not being reported by the ABC station is that the NBC station aired a segment /the previous week/ about Witchcraft which featured interviews, a short ritual and (gasp!) my children's book about the craft. Not a hate crime? It seems obvious to me. I don't want this to turn into a cop-bashing opportunity. They get enough bad press. (. . . and I happen to be very-much in love with a police officer!) I see this as a potential opportunity to dispel some myths and foster some acceptance, which is why I consented to the original interview."
Which certainly makes it seem like someone was trying to intimidate the Witch they saw on TV. While a previous television appearance was most certainly a factor in inciting some idiot to take up rope-tying, other theories have emerged.
"Because of the brou ha-ha connected with a Halloween decoration, someone thought to use it as a threat now. I've a feeling that this is going to happen more often, because the people that are doing this sort of thing are usually lacking in imagination-if not in hate."
Did news coverage over the controversy concerning a noose-hung "witch" during Halloween in Massachusetts help inject a renewed connection between witches and nooses? I doubt we'll ever know for sure, but it is certain that the vocabulary of hate and intimidation, racial and religious, has reached back into the past to stir old and painful cultural memories.
Labels: California, hate crime, Metaphysical Shops, noose, Paganism, Witch
10.26.2007
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
The Pagan law enforcement and emergency personnel organization Officers of Avalon is sending out a call for donations to their Avalon Cares Relief Project in order to assist those affected by the recent California wildfires that have destroyed over 1,400 homes, and evacuated nearly a million people.
"As our members are Pagan professionals in the emergency services, we've had a lot of people on the ground in the affected areas from the start. I'm starting to get reports on what has been affected and where help might be needed. I encourage you to do the same. If you know any one who has needs as a result of this disaster, please write to us and let us know ... Once again, we're showing the world what Pagans can do. Yet we must stick with it. We need you all to continue to donate what you can. If you can't donate money, donate your time to volunteer efforts. Do your own fund raising events to help us in this disaster relief effort. Open your doors to the displaced. Give blood. If you're a Pagan in the emergency services or related fields, join us at Officers of Avalon and help us help Pagans."
Officers of Avalon has has 501 (c) status (so your donation is tax-deductible), and 100% of the money collected by the Avalon Cares project is going to the relief effort in California. Donation links can be found, here.
For those of you who have been following the story concerning the Federal Bureau of Prisons' controversial plan to limit religious books for prison libraries to an approved list (currently on hold due to massive protests), some recent information has come to light thanks to a Freedom of Information request put in by one of my readers. According to the FOI document sent to me, there are no records of outside consultants, or fees paid to outside consultants.
"In reference to your request for the names of consultants, fees paid to those consultants, and the invoices related to those fees, there is no information responsive to this request."
This seems to back up claims by the American Academy of Religion that no members of its organization were involved in making the lists. It also looks very likely that the BOP was "misstating" when it said they relied on experts to make the lists. Which raises the vision of BOP bureaucrats making the lists by doing Google searches. These facts should make for interesting background when the lists return in 2008.
Mary Lefkowitz, professor emerita at Wellesley College, has an editorial up in the L.A. Times endorsing a return to polytheism, specifically, a return to the Greek pantheon.
"The world, as the Greek philosopher Thales wrote, is full of gods, and all deserve respect and honor. Such a generous understanding of the nature of divinity allowed the ancient Greeks and Romans to accept and respect other people's gods and to admire (rather than despise) other nations for their own notions of piety ... Ancient Greek religion gives an account of the world that in many respects is more plausible than that offered by the monotheistic traditions. Greek theology openly discourages blind confidence based on unrealistic hopes that everything will work out in the end. Such healthy skepticism about human intelligence and achievements has never been needed more than it is today."
I dare say this is a call for a return to traditional values that most Christian conservatives aren't really expecting!
For those who loved "Pan's Labyrinth" by Guillermo Del Toro, but thought it was too "cheery", the acclaimed director is planning to tackle H.P. Lovecraft's "At the Mountains of Madness", an essential tale in the ever-popular Cthulhu Mythos.
"...it will NOT be next on his list. It is still possible that a studio has finally agreed to a deal ... it looks very good that GDT will soon be in monster heaven soon, thanks to Don Murphy's Angry Films, and Susan Montford, who will be on board as producers, and an as yet unnamed studio. At one point the film was being looked at by Dreamworks/Paramount and Warner Bros., but looks like Universal may be the frontrunner now."
The film adaptation was co-written by Guillermo del Toro, and a review of it is posted, here.
Finally, in Witch School news, the small town of Rossville, Illinois (the new home-base of Witch School) held a town meeting for those worried by the recent influx of Pagans. But rather than controversy, Robert Kurka, professor of theology and church in culture at Lincoln Christian College in Lincoln called for tolerance and co-existence.
"About 150 people from Rossville, Hoopeston and other parts of the county attended the event that was open to the public. Kurka talked for more than an hour about the history of Wicca religion and the ideas behind it and compared the beliefs to Christian beliefs, showing how the two differ. Kurka encouraged the mostly Christian audience to treat the Wiccans in a Christian way, by welcoming them to the community as they would anyone else."
This seems to have somewhat surprised the Witch School members in attendance, who no doubt feared an anti-Pagan fire-breather had been sent to rally the faithful.
"It wasn't what I thought it was going to be. I thought it would be more 'We have to get rid of these people' attitude. I was pleased to know it was more friendly,"
So it look like Rossville is coming to terms with its new Pagan neighbors, though it remains to be seen if Rossville will ever become the "Salem of the Midwest" as some hope.
That is all I have for now, have a good day!
Labels: California, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Guillermo del Toro, Officers of Avalon, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, Polytheism, Witch School
9.12.2007
Standing Up, Being Heard
The O.C. Register has a profile up of Orange County Witch Yvonne Conway, national spokesperson for the Covenant of the Goddess, who was recently involved (along with COG) in the fight to get the US Department of Veterans Affairs to include the Pentacle on grave markers and tombstones.
"Conway is the national spokesperson for the Berkley-based witchcraft organization Covenant of the Goddess. She may also be Orange County's most prominent witch. The 37-year-old Huntington Beach native organizes three Meetup.com social networking groups for Orange County witches, pagans and ghost enthusiasts ... In 2008, she will help co-host a four day national conference on witchcraft near Yucaipa. As a fully "out-of-the-broom-closet" witch, Coway says her job is to put a public face on Wicca, the pagan faith she estimates up to 1,000 Orange County residents practice."
Conway represents a newer generation of Pagan leaders who are transcending the limiting politics of lockstep unity and are instead helping to build strong coalitions around issues that diverse Pagan and Heathen groups care about (like our religious symbols on Veteran grave markers).
"It's tough for (wiccans) to find a way to work together ... But this was about prejudice and being treated like second class citizens or less because of our religious beliefs. There was absolutely no controversy."
The Veteran Pentacle Quest is now evolving and moving forward to work towards the approval of Heathen and Druid symbols, something that activists like Yvonne Conway will no doubt be involved in.
Labels: activism, California, COG, Paganism, Veteran Pentacle Quest, Wicca, Yvonne Conway
