8.09.2008
Green Bay Nativity Battle Heads to Court
Last winter's saga concerning a Nativity display, the Green Bay City Council, and a vandalized Wiccan wreath is finally heading to court on September 15th.
"The Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation and the Liberty Counsel will face off next month in federal court over the nativity display installed at Green Bay City Hall last Christmas season. Oral arguments are to begin at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 15 before federal Judge William Griesbach at the federal court building, 125 S. Jefferson St., Green Bay. The Freedom From Religion Foundation and 14 area residents are suing the city of Green Bay, Mayor Jim Schmitt and former City Council President Chad Fradette over the display. With the suit, filed at the end of last year, the foundation seeks a court order forbidding the city from installing a religious display on public property, whatever further relief the court deems fair, and costs and attorney fees for the action."
To briefly sum up the story, the Green Bay City Council decided to put up a Nativity display on top of the city hall building after the Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation threatened a smaller Wisconsin town to take their Nativity scene down (they did). In an attempt to protect themselves from litigation, Mayor Jim Schmitt announced that any religious group that wanted to place their own display next to the Nativity could do so. That's where the Wiccans come in.
Green Bay employee installing a Wiccan wreath.
"A Wiccan symbol now stands alongside the Christmas manger scene above Green Bay City Hall's northwest entrance. The new display is an evergreen wreath, about 3 feet in diameter, around a five-pointed star. It's called a pentacle, and it is a symbol in the Wiccan religion, which is associated with witchcraft. Wicca is a nature-based religion based on respect for the earth, nature and the cycle of the seasons."
The Pentacle wreath was donated by Wisconsin-based Circle Sanctuary, but no sooner had the Pagan display gone up, when it was vandalized in the night. The wreath only sustained minor damage, but instead of replacing it, Mayor Jim Schmidt decided that only the Nativity could stay up (he also claimed he had no idea the wreath was donated by Pagan Witches), and no other religious displays would be allowed until they could "develop a set of guidelines". Discussion of new guidelines wasn't given a date, and the Nativity stayed up alone until December 26th. City Council President Chad Fradette was obviously spoiling for a legal showdown.
"After the vote, Fradette declared, "I'm trying to take this fight to the people who need to be fought. I'll keep going on this until this group imposing Madison values crawls back into its hole and never crawls out." Fradette also warned that he would reach out to the Alliance Defense Fund and the Liberty Counsel for legal assistance in helping him defend the display."
Well the "Green Bay values" versus "Madison values" battle royal is finally here, with the Religious Right organization the Liberty Council representing the city of Green Bay. Will the case be dismissed? Will Green Bay be forced to keep it secular this Winter? Stay tuned for further developments. I may even decide to drive down from Milwaukee and see this clash of the titans for myself!
Labels: Christianity, Circle Sanctuary, Green Bay, litigation, Nativity Display, Paganism, Pentacle, War on Christmas, Wisconsin
1.01.2008
"It wasn't a hate crime..."
WIVB in New York reports that an anonymous caller to the Olean police department claims to be the man who ran over a holiday Pentacle display in early December.
"Police believe they've received a phone-call confession from the person who ran-over a holiday pentacle display in olean. This all started earlier this month in Olean. The city allowed people to put up religious symbols in front of city hall..but not long after someone erected a Wiccan pentacle sign.. Someone ran it over."
The vandalized Pentacle display.
Here is the content of the caller's message:
"Hello there, this is a tough call for me to make... We were in Olean shopping.. We had dinner.. We were on our way home.. my girlfriend said, hey, there's the symbol that was on the news I wish someone would run it over I had a few beers in me.. and was showing off, so I backed into it. I am truly sorry it wasn't a hate crime..just an off color prank."
See? It isn't a hate crime if you had a few beers in you and did it to impress your girlfriend. This "beer + girlfriend" defense seems to be winning over the local police, who say that they only plan to charge the man with misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief (if they catch him). No word on if further charges will be entertained (like drunk driving for instance). What do you think? Is this a hate crime or an "off color prank", what punishment do you think the driver (and possibly the girlfriend) should receive?
Labels: Christianity, hate crime, Nativity Display, New York, Oleans, Paganism, Pentacle, War on Christmas, Wicca
12.19.2007
The Green Bay Nativity and the Bigger Picture
Last night the Green Bay City Council decided to not reinstall the damaged Wiccan Pentacle wreath, or to place any other symbol (religious or secular) on city property until they could "develop a set of guidelines". In the meantime, the Nativity display stays up alone, and will remain so until December 26th.
"Passions ran deep on both sides of the issue Tuesday as Christians, non-Christians and the City Council debated what to do about the nativity display placed on City Hall last week. Twenty-seven members of the public spoke, with some praising the city for putting up the nativity scene and others condemning it for excluding other faiths and nonbelievers ... Mike Layden, also of Green Bay, told the council, "If I were a Hindu - and I'm not - and I had to pay my water bill and walk under that overhang, I'd be terribly insulted. ... I'd say, 'Did I make a mistake in coming here? Does this country still respect the sanctity of the constitution?'" Some also criticized the acts of the mayor and Advisory Committee for agreeing last week to put it up."
It looks like Green Bay is trying to have its cake and eat it too. Develop inclusive display rules before they get smacked with lawsuits from the ACLU, Americans United, or the Freedom From Religion Foundation, while keeping the Nativity display up (alone) in order to please their Christian constituents. Lest anyone think the Nativity was an act of simple piety, remember that Green Bay City Council President Chad Fradette has admitted that this action was his official entry into the "Christmas Wars".
"After the vote, Fradette declared, "I'm trying to take this fight to the people who need to be fought. I'll keep going on this until this group imposing Madison values crawls back into its hole and never crawls out." Fradette also warned that he would reach out to the Alliance Defense Fund and the Liberty Counsel for legal assistance in helping him defend the display. Those groups are renowned for carping about an-out-of-control secular America trying to yank Christianity from the public square."
The situation has gained enough national attention that pundits like Alan Colmes (Fox) have been weighing in, and other towns are counting themselves lucky to not be involved in these Nativity battles.
"Things have been pretty quiet on the local front lines of the "War on Christmas." Other places in the U.S. couldn't escape the fray, however, as folks just had to find one more layer of stress to add to the holiday season."
Meanwhile, the ACLU defends itself against "anti-Christian" charges, and lays out its legal philosophy on what separates a Constitutional Nativity display from an un-Constitutional one.
"For instance, Christmas displays -- including nativity scenes -- are perfectly acceptable at homes, churches and even, in some cases, on city property ... the federal courts have ruled that religious displays are permissible on government property so long as, when viewed as a whole, a reasonable observer would view the display as having a secular purpose, not a religious purpose."
A legal test that Green Bay would most likely fail at this point. Green Bay has lapsed in its duty to think not only of the dominant religious sentiment, but of the host of religious minorities within its borders. It troubles itself with what it can get away with instead of working to bring everyone to the table.
"Today, the twin principles of "no establishment" and "free exercise" are meant to guarantee what the Flushing Remonstrance sought: religious freedom as a fundamental, inalienable right for every person. But legal protections can never be sufficient to ensure full religious freedom. In real-life conflicts, religious freedom often means little unless ordinary citizens speak up for the rights of others, including members of the smallest minorities and least-popular communities. When government officials ignore the rights of minority faiths - in a town opposed to an Islamic center, in a public school hostile to Wiccan children, in a court that ignores Native American religious claims - will those at the helm stand up for those in the hatches?"
No doubt Green Bay's "Christmas present" to its residents will very likely result in litigation come the new year, with a resulting bill that will come due for every tax-payer in the city. All so one strutting man could place a plastic Jesus on the local government's roof, and taunt an atheist organization.
Labels: Christianity, Christmas, Circle Sanctuary, Green Bay, Paganism, Pentacle, War on Christmas, Wisconsin
12.17.2007
You Saw This One Coming
As if by clockwork, last night a man tried to removed the Pentacle wreath on top of the Green Bay City Hall which was placed next to a controversial Nativity scene.
"Someone who vandalized a Wiccan wreath atop City Hall early today fled the scene, but left a ladder behind. At 12:43 a.m., a Green Bay police officer was flagged down by a citizen who was driving by and reported seeing someone on a ladder at Green Bay City Hall, 100 N. Jefferson St., taking down a holiday decoration ... The suspect was described as a white male, 5-foot-10 to 6 feet, between 150 and 170 pounds, wearing a gray parka-type jacket and gray hat with ear flaps. The ladder was left at the scene. The wreath was taken down and found behind the shrubs. There was minor damage to the wreath. There was no other damage to the other decorations or the building. This incident remains under investigation."
Luckily the wreath was on top of a roof, so the suspect couldn't simply back a truck over it. Perhaps religiously-motivated vandalism is how Green Bay shows how its different from their more cosmopolitan neighbors in Madison and Milwaukee? In any case, it remains to be seen if this incident will affect the decision-making at the special City Council meeting on Tuesday. Will they decide to call the whole thing off like Olean did?
ADDENDUM: Looks like Green Bay isn't handling this situation too well...
"In an about face, Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmidt says no one else will be able to put symbols on Green Bay City Hall for right now. The mayor told several people who showed up at City Hall with symbols today that news. Those people weren't happy ... One woman who showed up Monday asked how a 'Pagan Pentacle' ended up on City Hall if she wasn't going to be allowed to add her symbol. Another told the mayor if her symbol couldn't go up, everything would have to come down ... Mayor Schmidt says until the city council debates the proposed guidelines tomorrow night, the city will not allow new symbols on City Hall."
Looks like a lot of unhappy people will be awaiting the outcome of Tuesday's meeting.
Labels: Christianity, Christmas, Circle Sanctuary, Green Bay, Nativity Display, Paganism, Pentacle, War on Christmas, Wisconsin
12.16.2007
Return of the Holiday Pentacle Saga!
While vandals and controversy may have ended the display of a festive holiday Pentacle in Olean, NY, it looks like the story will continue in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Green Bay employee installing a Wiccan wreath.
"A Wiccan symbol now stands alongside the Christmas manger scene above Green Bay City Hall's northwest entrance. The new display is an evergreen wreath, about 3 feet in diameter, around a five-pointed star. It's called a pentacle, and it is a symbol in the Wiccan religion, which is associated with witchcraft. Wicca is a nature-based religion based on respect for the earth, nature and the cycle of the seasons."
This comes after the Green Bay City Council decided to thumb their noses ("tell the Madison people that Madison values need to stay in Madison") at the Freedom From Religion Foundation for challenging a Nativity display in a small Wisconsin town. In order to maintain a veneer of legality, Green Bay invited other religious groups to contribute their own symbols to the display. Nearby Circle Sanctuary (who provided the wreath), is the first to take Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt up on the offer.
"When I learned that Mayor Jim Schmitt publicly invited the contributions of other expressions of faith, I decided that our church should offer to contribute a Yule wreath with pentacle to the holidays display. Our pentacle wreath represents our celebration of Yuletide and the new solar year, and also is part of our observance of Interfaith Awareness Week in Wisconsin which we have been celebrating all week," - Rev. Selena Fox, Senior Minister of Circle Sanctuary.
The question now is will it stay up? The Green Bay City Council has scheduled a meeting this coming Tuesday to discuss the resolution installing the Nativity, and if the Council acted properly in approving Council President Chad Fradette's request/vendetta. The Freedom From Religion Foundation (which is based in Madison, Wisconsin) says that if the "legally messy situation" isn't cleaned up at Tuesday's meeting, they will bring forth litigation against the city. In the meantime, Hindu, Unitarian-Universalist, and Buddhist groups have all approached Green Bay in order to have their own symbols placed next to the Nativity (requests the City says they have to honor since they haven't drawn up any guidelines regarding holiday displays). So it looks like Green Bay will have some interesting times in the coming weeks.
PS - For a lighter side to the Pentacle/Nativity controversies, the Pagan-themed comic "Oh My Gods" has released two strips inspired by these recent news events. Part one. Part two.
Labels: Christianity, Christmas, Circle Sanctuary, Green Bay, Nativity Display, Paganism, Pentacle, War on Christmas, Wisconsin
12.12.2007
Update: The Holiday Pentacle Saga Ends
It looks like the saga of a controversial Nativity display in Olean, New York, and the resulting Holiday Pentacle display has come to an end. Just three days after the installation of the Pentacle by a local Wiccan (and one day after it was run over by a truck), Mayor David J. Carucci has decided to re-locate the Nativity to a nearby Baptist Church.
"The battle of the Nativity - and the pentacle - came to an end in Olean on Tuesday, at least for now. A day after the large lavender and silver wooden pentacle sign was driven over and later stood back up - a hole in the front and tire tracks notwithstanding - the adjacent Nativity scene was moved a block down the street from the City Hall lawn to the front of a Baptist church. Later Wednesday afternoon, John Garlow went to City Hall and removed the pentacle he and his wife, April, had placed there as a Wiccan response to the Nativity scene."
It looks like a storm of criticism, and an investigation into a possible hate-crime were more heat than the defiant Mayor wanted to deal with. Mayor Carucci claims that the incident with the Pentacle was mere vandalism, but John and April Garlow, who erected the Pentacle, claim there were threats made against them.
"Garlow said it had been suggested on Internet message boards that his wife should be beaten ... Shortly after 4 p.m., the battered pentacle was removed by John Garlow, aided by Gan, and strapped to the luggage rack of a station wagon. Passing motorists offered comments and a woman onlooker, bearing a placard with the words 'God Will Win,' stood nearby."
Oh, if only the reporter transcribed some of the "offered comments". Does anyone really believe this was random vandalism? For now, at least, it looks like the controversy that started this is over. There is still the matter of catching the "vandal" who ran over the Pentacle display, and making sure he is brought to justice. Lets hope the Police follow through on their promise to investigate this as a possible hate crime.
As for the Garlows, I salute their courage and determination. I hope the Pagan community in Olean is rallying around them. While many talk about doing something, they acted and demanded a place at the table. The Garlows have opened a door, and it would be rude of us to refuse to follow when similar situations present themselves.
Labels: Christianity, Christmas, Nativity Display, New York, Oleans, Paganism, Pentacle, War on Christmas, Wicca
12.11.2007
Update: The Holiday Pentacle
It looks like the press missed a beat here. At the end of November, a Wiccan was granted permission to erect a Pentacle display next to a controversial Nativity display in Olean, NY. I was very excited by this prospect, but the next day the Wiccan in question backed down from erecting the display.
"April Garlow said she won't erect the Wiccan symbol. Garlow made the request after being outraged that the mayor allowed a group to place a nativity scene, a Christian symbol, on the municipal building's lawn. "I couldn't believe they would put it on public property. I'm a homeowner in Olean, I pay taxes," Garlow said ... Garlow has said she will not place her Wiccan symbol at the building because of the possibility of lawsuits from outside organizations. Carucci said the offer remains for her and anyone else wishing to display their religious symbols."
But it seems that Garlow changed her mind, and took Carucci up on his offer, erecting a Pentacle next to the Nativity display last weekend. This development didn't make it to the news-wires, but news has been made again now that the display was destroyed by vandals.
The vandalized Pentacle display.
"Police are investigating vandalism aimed at a symbol of the Wiccan religion set up next to a Nativity scene in front of city hall. Officials in this city 60 miles south of Buffalo say someone in a pickup truck backed over the Wiccan pentacle around 10:15 p.m. Monday, then sped off. The pentacle, a pentagram within a circle, was placed last weekend near the Nativity scene Olean Mayor David Carucci allowed to be set up outside city hall last month."
Looks like some Christians aren't as committed to religion in the public square as they claim. I hope the culprit is caught and made to personally restore the symbol, and I hope that every Pagan and Heathen in the Olean area comes forward to erect their own Winter-themed displays. Let the Nativity exist in a sea of religious imagery, or remove it from public property.
ADDENDUM: A further report on the incident can be found at the WIVB site, including a picture of the Pentacle display.
Labels: Christianity, Christmas, Nativity Display, New York, Oleans, Paganism, Pentacle, War on Christmas, Wicca
11.28.2007
The Holiday Pentacle
Remember my post the other day when I said Pagans should take advantage of public Nativity display clauses allowing for other religions to "add their symbols"?
"The city of Menominee is trying to legally protect itself by having a provision stating that "non-Christians be allowed to add their symbols". I can only hope that this means an enterprising Pagan group or two are getting public displays ready to sit next to the nativity scene. What about a baby Mithras? A mini-temple to Saturn? How about a Yule Goat? Lets get creative here!"
Well it looks like some Pagans in Olean, New York (near Buffalo) have decided to test the waters and do exactly that.
"The Nativity scene outside a municipal building near Buffalo could soon be sharing space with a Wiccan pentacle. Olean Mayor David Carucci has given a local resident permission to set up a pentacle next to the Nativity scene outside the Olean Municipal Building."
Carucci's decision to allow a Pentacle display comes shortly after facing criticism from local Jewish groups for setting up a Christian symbol on municipal property. At the time he made the promise often made after a controversial religious display is placed on public property:
"Mayor Carucci, who is Christian, said any other religious group is also welcome to put a display outside the City Building. He said he decided to allow the Nativity, which depicts the birth of Jesus Christ, after a group of private individuals asked him for permission to put it up."
So now Carucci's convictions will be put to the test, and a holiday-themed Pentacle symbol will be placed next to the Nativity. One wonders how passerby will know it is Pagan, since Christmas stars are often portrayed as five-pointed. Will there be other elements? Maybe they should have gone with the giant Yule goat instead. But since this is a Wiccan display it leaves openings for Asatru and other Pagan faiths to stake out a piece of municipal land as well. Lets see a plethora of (Pagan) holiday religious displays!
UPDATE: The Wiccan who got permission to erect the holiday Pentacle display is backing down from doing so, due to fear of litigation.
"Despite getting the mayor's permission to place a pentacle at Olean's City Hall, April Garlow said she won't erect the Wiccan symbol. Garlow made the request after being outraged that the mayor allowed a group to place a nativity scene, a Christian symbol, on the municipal building's lawn ... Garlow has said she will not place her Wiccan symbol at the building because of the possibility of lawsuits from outside organizations. Carucci said the offer remains for her and anyone else wishing to display their religious symbols."
She does realize that any litigation would most likely be aimed at the City right? This is disappointing, I want my Pagan Winter Festival display! Come on Olean Pagans, step up!
Labels: Christianity, Christmas, Nativity Display, New York, Oleans, Paganism, Pentacle, War on Christmas, Wicca
4.24.2007
Dare We Call It Conspiracy?
While I'm pleased that victory has finally been accomplished in the Veteran Pentacle Quest, I was somewhat disappointed that the issue didn't go to court. Why? Because now we'll never have direct proof of anti-Wiccan/Pagan bias by VA officials. Before a trial begins a process of "discovery" happens in which both parties hand over (or are forced to hand over) documents and materials relevant to the case. Before the discovery process happened in this case the VA tried a stalling tactic.
"The VA argued in a motion filed Jan. 19 with the U.S. District Court in Madison that the lawsuit should be put on hold until after the department finalized its new rules related to accepting new grave marker symbols. That process could take up to 12 months but the VA would make a decision on the Wiccan request within a month after the process ended, the government's motion said. The Wiccans' attorney objected, arguing that nothing commits the VA to finalize its rules within that time frame, or take up the Wiccan request at all."
Luckily the judge sided with the plaintiffs and a trial date was set for June 29th 2007. The discovery phase moved forward. It was during this point that Americans United allegedly came across some damning evidence.
"Lawyers familiar with the case said that some documents suggested the VA had political motives for rejecting the pentacle ... During his first campaign for president, then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush told ABC's 'Good Morning America' in 1999 that he was opposed to Wiccan soldiers practicing their faith at Fort Hood, Tex. 'I don't think witchcraft is a religion, and I wish the military would take another look at this and decide against it,' he said. Lynn, of Americans United, said references to Bush's remarks appeared in memos and e-mails within the VA. 'One of the saddest things is to learn that this wasn't just a bureaucratic nightmare, there was a certain amount of bigotry,' he said. 'The president's wishes were interpreted at a pretty high level. . . . It became a political judgment, not a constitutional judgment.'"
Pagan academic Chas Clifton echoes these claims at this blog.
"From what I heard last November from the spouse of one of the lawyers involved, Americans United pretty well had the VA nailed for violating their own regulations and were counting on the potential embarrassment of a court trial to scare the VA into doing the right thing. It looks like that legal strategy worked."
But we will never get hard proof thanks to the terms of the settlement.
"The settlement stipulates, however, that the plaintiffs must not keep or disclose any documents handed over by the government during the discovery phase of the lawsuit."
Now the VA can claim the moral high ground by stating they settled "in the interest of the families involved", and to save the taxpayer's money. But if it was in the interest of "families involved" it certainly is a sea-change from the past nine years of struggles against the stonewalling tactics of the government agency. There is an illusion that our military is purely "secular", and while that may be true to a point, it doesn't acknowledge the very real persecutions and setbacks imposed upon openly Pagan soldiers by an overwhelmingly Christian (and conservative) chaplaincy and command structure.
So in my mind this victory is a bit bittersweet. I wish we could have gone farther in this case and gotten documents and testimony into the public records. I certainly don't blame AU, Circle Sanctuary, and the other plaintiffs for taking the settlement, it was the promise of a sure victory in a very long struggle. But I fear that government agencies will continue to use Bush's anti-Pagan comments as unwritten policy, an excuse to disenfranchise minority religions. As for the VA, one wonders what will happen when Asatru organizations start applying for a gravestone symbol.
Labels: Military, Paganism, Pentacle, Veteran, Veteran Pentacle Quest, Wicca
12.17.2006
Wiccans in the War Zone
One thing that underscores the veteran Pentacle quest is that there are modern Pagans serving in war zones right now as we speak. The case of Patrick Stewart, who died while serving in Afghanistan, isn't a rare fluke that happened to bring up the issue of honoring the faith of all veterans. Thousands of modern Pagans are currently active in all branches of the military, many in dangerous "hot spots" as Sgt. Stewart was. This point is driven home in a New York Times spotlight on Rev. Shareen Fischer, captain and a chaplain in the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division.
"There's so much going on militarily as you get ready" was how Captain Fischer put it. "Not enough time, not enough days. So I like to have my quiet time. When David said, 'I look to the hills' and 'My strength comes from the Lord,' he was alone in the desert. And I have to remember where my strength comes from. Because if I am not strong, how can I be a strong leader for my paratroopers?"
While Rev. Fischer is a Christian (a graduate of Oral Roberts University who is an ordained Pentecostal) as chaplain she has to oversee the spiritual and religious needs of her entire unit.
"She led worship services for Christian soldiers and helped arrange them for guardsmen of other faiths. She made sure Jews and Muslims received kosher and halal Meals Ready to Eat. She taught lessons on Bible passages that were set in Mesopotamia. After her unit was attacked, she conducted the required stress debriefing for the victims. And sometimes she simply held the men and women who were crying...Lately she had been surveying her soldiers to determine their religious backgrounds and so meet their needs. She has found Muslims, Jews, Roman Catholics, Protestants of myriad stripes, Eastern Orthodox adherents and even a few Wiccans."
Those "few Wiccans" in her division, while accommodated in life, are serving knowing that the government won't (at this time) honor their service after death by acknowledging the faith that defines them. The growing reality is that modern Pagans can be found in almost any profession and situation in America, this includes our military. It is time that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs catches up to the what chaplains like the Rev. Shareen Fischer are already doing, trying to meet the needs of all faiths currently serving.
12.11.2006
Christmas Wars + Veteran Pentacle Quest = Editorial Goldmine
Getting an advanced college degree must be good for something, just look at how Mary Zeiss Stange, professor of women's studies and religion at Skidmore College, and a contributer to USA Today managed to tie the Christmas Wars and two Pagan-related stories into one editorial! It seems to be yet another rote editorial on the "controversy" over stores saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" until it becomes all about Paganism.
"Gone are the days when folks who worried about rampant materialism cautioned that it was time to "put Christ back into Christmas." Now it's time to put Christ back into Kmart. And so, as Wal-Mart spokeswoman Marisa Bluestone has bravely proclaimed, "This year, we're not afraid to say 'Merry Christmas.'"...Of course, if you are a Jew celebrating Hanukkah, or a Muslim marking Eid al-Fitr, or a neo-pagan Wiccan for whom the Winter Solstice (Dec. 21) is a major observance, you probably had appreciated the more inclusive acknowledgment that the end of the year is a festive time for you, too. Indeed, particularly if you are Wiccan, the matter of being un-included this holiday season must especially sting. A group of Wiccan families is suing the Department of Veterans Affairs for the right to bury their fallen heroes in military cemeteries in graves marked with a pentacle, the five-pointed star that symbolizes their religion, much as a cross does Christianity or a Star of David, Judaism."
Did you see that? She managed to dis crass consumerism tainting the Christian holiday, remind people that non-Christians really do live and work in America, and then point out how modern Pagans are getting metaphorical coal in their stockings courtesy of the Veteran's Administration. Strange tops off this editorial concoction with the "cherry" of ancient pagan elements still present in modern Christmas celebrations.
"For Christmas is, in its origins and its symbolism, perhaps the most pagan-inspired of all Christian holidays. Its dating derives from the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia, which was determined by the winter solstice, that astronomical point in the year after which the periods of sunlight on Earth lengthen...These pagan-derived symbols and customs are precisely the elements of Christmas that Christian activists are pressing to preserve and promote, in venues such as Target and Macy's."
How to close such a editorial? Why with the hope for peace (and justice) on earth and goodwill towards mankind (and womankind) of course.
"...nothing could be more in keeping with the "Christmas spirit" than to embrace and celebrate religious diversity. And nothing could be truer to the spirit of the First Amendment than to honor American war dead as they and their loved ones would wish. No single group of self-proclaimed Christians holds a premium on the meaning of this magical season. And no government agency should decide what "qualifies" as an appropriate religious symbol. And so, no offense intended, but season's greetings."
That is how you write an editorial on subject(s) that have been covered to death and keep it fresh. Pagan editorialists take note. Oh, and season's greetings.
Labels: Christmas, Mary Zeiss Stange, Paganism, Pentacle, VA, Veteran, War on Christmas
