7.20.2008
Pagan Soldier Killed Due to Shoddy Equipment?
The Indianapolis Star reports on a mother who is investigating the death of her son, Sgt. Joseph A. Ford, who was serving in Iraq’s Anbar province. The official statement says his vehicle rolled over and he died as a consequence, but fellow soldiers have told her that the turret Ford was riding in came loose, and that he was thrown from the vehicle.
Sgt. Joseph A. Ford
"Dalarie Ford, a wife and mother from the Northern Indiana town of Knox, had never been one to rock the boat. She voted, but not passionately. Never had she felt wronged. But now she senses injustice. She's on a mission to find out precisely what happened in Iraq's Anbar province on May 10, the day her son died. Sgt. Joseph A. Ford was 23, a soldier with the Indiana National Guard's 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. He was a gunner in an Armored Security Vehicle, a sort of tank-on-wheels that's commonly used to guard convoys that haul food and supplies for U.S. troops. The vehicle rolled over. Ford was killed. That's the extent of the military's public explanation. Ford's mother says soldiers privately provided her with additional details. "They said the turret came loose and he was thrown out of the vehicle and the vehicle rolled over on him and it impacted his chest and face," she said."
Dalarie Ford, since launching this investigation, has discovered that ASVs are vulnerable to rollovers, and that this isn't the first time the gunner's turret has broken away. She has been contacting her state officials in an effort to make sure what happened to her son doesn't happen to other soldiers.
As for Sgt. Joseph A. Ford, the paper reveals that he was a member of Nova Roma, a group dedicated to reviving the "Cultus Deorum Romanorum" (the religion of Rome). The group's banner hung at his funeral.
"His friends and teachers describe him as intellectual, curious. He often had a book under his arm. He attended the University of Southern Indiana, where he majored in history. Ancient Rome fascinated him. He practiced the religion of Roman paganism. At his funeral, a banner hung on the lectern. "SPQR," it said -- shorthand for the Latin "Senatus Populusque Romanus," or the Senate and the people of Rome."
Ford had only been in Iraq for two months when the accident occurred. While some commentators are saying that such accidents are part of the package of military service, I can't imagine a turret breaking off and killing its rider should be considered a normal or acceptable situation. If shoddy equipment is indeed responsible, the military should take responsibility for Ford's death. It is the very least they can do to honor his sacrifice.
Finally, depending on burial plans, I do hope that Nova Roma enquirers with Dalarie Ford to see if her son would want an official emblem of his faith engraved on his military tombstone or marker. Perhaps this would be an excellent time for Nova Roma to join the growing coalition working for an expanded selection of Pagan and Heathen emblems of belief from the VA.
May Ford rest with his gods and ancestors, may his sacrifice be honored, and may his family find the closure and justice needed to move forward.
Labels: Iraq, Military, Nova Roma, Pagan Soldiers, Paganism, Passings, Veteran Pentacle Quest
7.17.2008
Update: SIGIR's Wiccan Scandal
After two years of investigations, Stuart Bowen, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, and his deputy, Ginger Cruz, have been cleared of fraud and abuse charges that were lodged by former employees of the watchdog organization.
Ginger Cruz
"On July 3, federal prosecutors alerted the office of Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen that a grand jury declined to indict him or deputy Ginger Cruz. Last week, on July 9, the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency similarly cleared him and Cruz of any administrative charges stemming from the accusations. The executive branch council was created to investigate allegations of misconduct by inspectors general at federal agencies ... "I always had faith that we'd be cleared of the allegations," Cruz said in an interview Wednesday. "We knew there was no basis to them." Cruz described the investigations dating back to 2006 as "very thorough." She said it combed through all of her e-mail, and multiple people were interviewed for it."
This story first came to my attention in December of last year, after accusations against Cruz claimed that she was a Wiccan who sexually harassed her co-workers, and threatened to cast spells on those who crossed her.
"Cruz reportedly told employees that she was a Wiccan who could cast spells on people, and said she preferred hiring young “hunks” to work in the office. She is also accused of propositioning junior employees in a crude fashion, once even proposing a threesome."
Cruz has all along denied any wrongdoing, and that the accusations of witchcraft were "ludicrous". I felt that the emphasis on witchcraft and sexual improprieties seemed suspicious. Almost stereotypical.
"...it seems strange to me that "hexes" and her Wiccan religion were mentioned at all. Could it be that Cruz was simply too open with her religious preferences in an all-too-Christian military environment? Leaving aside the charges of cooking the books, doesn't it seem a bit too convenient (almost stereotypical in a male-fantasy sort of way) that the the young female Witch would go around propositioning three-ways with men and claiming to put hexes on people (no doubt on men who would refuse her sexual wiles)?"
Whether Cruz was indeed a Wiccan, or simply a woman branded "witch" in an often sexist and overtly Christian military will most likely never be known. Whatever the truth, this represents not only a vindication for Cruz, who can now put this painful time behind her, but a victory for religious minorities and Pagans working for the government. Perhaps more Pagans working in the military and in governmental positions can come out of the "broom closet" knowing that slanders of malicious spellwork, or lascivious behavior, will not stand up to scrutiny.
Labels: Ginger Cruz, Iraq, Military, Paganism, persecutions, SIGIR, Stuart Bowen, Wicca, Witchcraft
4.02.2008
Update: SIGIR's Wiccan Scandal
Government official (and alleged Wiccan) Ginger Cruz is in the news again. A deputy of Stuart Bowen, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR), Cruz had been accused of sexually harassing co-workers, cooking the books, and threatening hexes on those who crossed her.
Ginger Cruz
"Current and former SIGIR employees have told investigators that Cruz threatened to put hexes on employees and made inappropriate sexual remarks in the presence of staff members. Cruz is a self-described wiccan, a member of a polytheistic religion of modern witchcraft..."
While a grand jury investigation into these claims did not produce any indictments, a new grand jury investigation is underway to see if Cruz and Bowen improperly read staff e-mails.
"In 2007, after the Army ruling [against e-mail monitoring], Bowen and Cruz continued to monitor staff e-mails, according to SIGIR employees at the time. At one point, Cruz held a stack of papers in her hand and claimed they were e-mails of a senior employee, one official said. Staff members also said that Cruz bragged to senior staffers in early 2006 about reading workers' e-mails and in one case shared e-mails from one employee."
According to Bowen's attorney, Bradford A. Berenson, the reading of staff e-mails was a part of established SIGIR policy that staff had been made aware of.
"...as part of an authorized internal investigation into possible press leaks. SIGIR policy permits such e-mail reviews and all employees are notified, regularly reminded and trained on these policies."
Ginger Cruz maintains she is the victim of a smear campaign by former employees, and that she isn't a Witch.
"A previous article in the Post quoted unnamed sources and employees who claimed Cruz was a "witch", allegations that she vehemently denies, calling the allegations "ludicrous"."
So, is Cruz an innocent victim caught up in a vendetta by former employees? Did she ever truly consider herself a Wiccan, or is she now disavowing the faith under political and social pressures? It seems odd that people would invent Wiccan allegiance for Cruz, did they think it would strengthen claims of sexual harassment? It should be noted that her disavowal of Witchcraft is recent, and appeared in a local Guam (her native land) television station web site.
Whatever the eventual outcome of this latest grand jury hearing, it is comforting to know that no indictment was handed down relating to claims of "hexing" or "witchcraft". Perhaps we can avoid the slippery slope to "spectral evidence" for awhile longer. As for Cruz, whether Wiccan or not, it is clear that the press jumped at the chance to sensationalize claims of magical malfeasance, almost to the point of overshadowing the more serious claims of fraud. If this was a smear campaign, it looks like cries of "witch" worked just fine. Perhaps next time claims of "witchcraft" will be met with a bit more skepticism by reporters.
Labels: Ginger Cruz, Iraq, Military, persecutions, SIGIR, Stuart Bowen, Wicca
12.15.2007
SIGIR's Wiccan Scandal
I never thought I would have to type these words, but a government fraud scandal is gaining press for the (alleged) involvement of a modern Pagan. Wiccan Ginger Cruz, a deputy of Stuart Bowen, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR), is being accused of sexual harassment, cooking the books, and threating co-workers with hexes.
"Cruz, a former spokeswoman for the governor of Guam, originally joined SIGIR as a contractor working for the accounting firm Deloitte & Touche. Current and former SIGIR employees have told investigators that Cruz threatened to put hexes on employees and made inappropriate sexual remarks in the presence of staff members. Cruz is a self-described wiccan, a member of a polytheistic religion of modern witchcraft. "We warned Ginger not to talk about witchcraft, that it would scare people," a former SIGIR employee said."
Ginger Cruz
From Harpers:
"Among the charges is that Cruz pressured an employee to come up with bogus numbers proving that SIGIR's work had saved taxpayers some $10 billion, a figure that was used to justify the agency's request of $30 million in the Fiscal Year 2007 budget. The true savings were said to be only in the tens of millions at best ... Cruz reportedly told employees that she was a Wiccan who could cast spells on people, and said she preferred hiring young "hunks" to work in the office. She is also accused of propositioning junior employees in a crude fashion, once even proposing a threesome."
The question now is how true are these allegations? According to Wonkette, Bowen's office has been leaking rumors that the investigation is a retaliation for his office rooting out fraud and abuse in Iraq, while Cruz has denied the allegations made against her.
"Cruz denied making comments of a "sexual nature" and noted that she was cleared of wrongdoing by an internal SIGIR investigation."
Obviously Cruz could be lying, and SIGIR's investigation into her alleged wrongdoing could be an exercise in sweeping things under the rug, but it seems strange to me that "hexes" and her Wiccan religion were mentioned at all. Could it be that Cruz was simply too open with her religious preferences in an all-too-Christian military environment? Leaving aside the charges of cooking the books, doesn't it seem a bit too convenient (almost stereotypical in a male-fantasy sort of way) that the the young female Witch would go around propositioning three-ways with men and claiming to put hexes on people (no doubt on men who would refuse her sexual wiles)?
It certainly has become a dominant theme of the story. Boing Boing mentions it, and Wonkette has posted a video of Cruz with over-dubbed "sexy" porno music playing in the background. Almost no-one is entertaining the possibility that Cruz is being smeared by those eager to see her removed from office. It does a wonderful job of deflecting attention from the real issues of this investigation (and the issue of fraud in Iraq's reconstruction). Is this how you "burn a Witch" while "ducking" charges of malfeasance?
Labels: Ginger Cruz, Iraq, Military, persecutions, SIGIR, Stuart Bowen, Wicca
7.29.2007
Religion and Law
The excellent blog "Religion Clause", which focuses on legal developments concerning religion, has posted two stories today that should be of special interest to modern Pagans (and other minority faiths). The first concerns the release of transcripts from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom about the precarious status of minority religions in post-Saddam Iraq.
"This year the Commission added Iraq to its Watch List of countries requiring close monitoring because of the nature and extent of violations of religious freedom engaged in or tolerated by their governments. We made the decision because of the alarming and deteriorating religious freedom conditions for all Iraqis ... influencing our decision to place Iraq on our Watch List are the grave conditions affecting minority religious groups in Iraq, including the ChaldoAssyrian Christians, Yazidis, and Sabean Mandaeans. These groups appear to suffer a degree of attacks and other human rights abuses disproportionate to their numbers. As a result, thousands of members of Iraqi religious minorities have fled the country, seeking refuge in neighboring states and among growing Diaspora communities in the West."
Of the three groups pointed out in this hearing, two have ties to gnostic or pre-Christian beliefs and practice. The Sabean Mandaeans are a dualistic gnostic sect that considers John the Baptist to be their primary prophet, while the Yazidi are adherents to a pre-Islamic faith who revere "The Peacock Angel" Melek Taus. Both are facing extreme persecution, kidnappings, rapes, murders, and the very real possibility of elimination from Iraq.
"More than 80% of the Mandaean community has been displaced from Iraq to Syria and Jordan. The Mandaean community has dwindled to less than five (5) thousands today."
Several recommendations were given by those giving testimony, but it remains to be seen if the already over-stressed military presence in Iraq will be able to make any substantive changes in conditions. Perhaps America can relax its immigration policy for persecuted groups within Iraq, taking in those who have no place to go.
The second story concerns the passing of a bill through both houses that enacts several recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. Included in that bill is something known as the "John Doe Amendment" which protects people tipping off the authorities to potential terror suspects from litigation if their suspicions turn out to be unfounded.
"Any person who, in good faith and based on objectively reasonable suspicion, makes or causes to be made, a voluntary report of covered activity to an authorized official shall be immune from civil liability under federal, state and local law for such report."
What are "objective" and "reasonable" suspicions? According to the case that inspired this amendment it includes dressing like a Muslim, praying publicly, and requesting seat-belt extensions. One can only imagine how this new legal immunity will be used by those not truly acting in "good faith", or by those who see terrorists in anyone not dressing or acting like them. If you have been wearing ritual garb at the airport in the past, you might want to think twice about doing it in the future.
Labels: Iraq, John Doe Amendment, law, persecutions, Religion Clause, Sabean Mandaeans, terrorism, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, Yazidi
