4.24.2008
National Day of Prayer vs. May Day!
"Perhaps it's just as well that you won't be here tomorrow, to be offended by the sight of our May Day celebrations here." - Lord Summerisle, "The Wicker Man"
Next week, thanks to a quirk of the calendar, one of the biggest religious festivals within modern Paganism will coincide with the yearly National Day of Prayer. The National Day of Prayer, in theory a time for all Americans of faith to unite and pray (in their own manner) for the well-being of the country, has long been co-opted by conservative Christian evangelicals who operate a "task force". This group (essentially run by Focus on The Family) runs the bulk of NDP events, and excludes non-Christians from active participation.
"The National Day of Prayer Task Force was a creation of the National Prayer Committee for the expressed purpose of organizing and promoting prayer observances conforming to a Judeo-Christian system of values. People with other theological and philosophical views are, of course, free to organize and participate in activities that are consistent with their own beliefs. This diversity is what Congress intended when it designated the Day of Prayer, not that every faith and creed would be homogenized, but that all who sought to pray for this nation would be encouraged to do so in any way deemed appropriate. It is that broad invitation to the American people that led, in our case, to the creation of the Task Force and the Judeo-Christian principles on which it is based."
Sounds reasonable, right? Can't the non-Christians throw their own party? The problem is that the NDPTF bills itself as the "official" site for the National Day of Prayer, and attacks any governor who won't support their efforts with an official proclamation. In addition, Christian coordinators who attempt to throw an inclusive event under the NDPTF auspices are barred from running future events. So JewsOnFirst is calling for citizens to lobby their governors to shun the NDPTF, and either not issue a proclamation, or issue an inclusive statement that doesn't empower such a narrow view of acceptable public prayer (or crib talking points from Focus on the Family).
"The National Day of Prayer has been hijacked! What began in 1952 as President Truman's declaration of a National Prayer Day for all Americans is now excluding and dividing us on religious lines. The "Task Force" excludes Jews, Muslims, Catholics and even mainline Christians from participation in the events it coordinates around the country. Many of those events are staged in government venues with elected officials, in a deliberate affront to the separation of church and state."
You can find contact information for your governor, here. You can find a sample telephone script and sample letter on the inclusive prayer day site. You can also find a listing of proclamations already issued.
Let's hear it for inclusive prayer!
While I encourage my readers to participate in this call for inclusiveness, I think the fact that the National Day of Prayer falls on May Day/Beltane is far too good an opportunity to pass up! If there is a NDP event being held at your state capitol, why not take a gaggle of Pagans and Heathens in their best May-finery? Or why not hold an event as near as possible to the "official" NDPTF-organized shin-dig? Imagine May-poles and hobby-horses prancing while the evangelicals studiously pray against gay marriage. If the NDPTF is given a government building to hold their meeting, demand one for a really inclusive gathering! Invite anyone who'll show up! Pray to your assorted gods and goddesses!
We're a deeply religious people.
If all else fails, hold a procession past the capitol reminding the lawmakers that a "National Day of Prayer" includes all faiths, not just the ones with the political clout to co-opt it for their own ends. When a prayer event hijacked by conservative Christians falls on May Day, who knows what could happen!
Labels: Beltane, Focus on the Family, JewsOnFirst, May Day, National Day of Prayer, Paganism, politics, prayer, Religion
4.15.2008
Interview with Rita Moran
In the increasingly close (and heated) Democratic primary race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, the role of "superdelegates" has gained a lot of scrutiny and attention as it becomes clear that these individuals will most likely decide who receives the Democratic party's nomination for president. For a short period, one of those superdelegates was an openly Pagan party official. Rita Moran, Chair of the Kennebec County Democratic Committee, who was outed and stalked by a vindictive local Christian group last year.
Rita Moran
So why was Moran a superdelegate for only a short time? That is a matter of some controversy, involving an unnecessary re-vote, and factions within the Democratic party battling it out. I was lucky enough to conduct an interview with Rita Moran about this situation, what it's like being an openly Pagan party official, and what her future plans are in the wake of losing her superdelegate position.
You are currently the Chair of the Kennebec County Democratic Committee. How did you get involved in politics, and how did you come to be in the position you are in now?
I come from an Italian immigrant family, and it was the Democratic Party that helped my parents learn English and find a place in their new country. When my father became a citizen, and I still remember that day, he became a Democrat and eventually rose to leadership in his county committee. I guess it's in my blood.
Last year, you were "outed" as a Pagan by the Maine Christian Civil League, did that affect your standing with fellow officials within the local Democratic Party, or hinder your relationship with Democratic voters in your community?
It's hard to say. Overtly, the Democratic Party leadership stood behind me. Behind the scenes, or in the minds of individual voters, I honestly have no idea what was, is, being said.
You were recently, albeit briefly, elected as a superdelegate for the state of Maine. Could you explain how you were elected, and subsequently removed from your position?
Sure. The Maine Democratic State Committee has a "three strikes" rule which mirrors that of the Democratic National Committee: miss three consecutive meetings and you are automatically removed, but may run for the position at a subsequent meeting.
Jennifer DeChant, who ran unopposed and was elected at the June, 2004 state convention had missed three consecutive meetings; the third was in November of 2007. At that time it was announced that she would have to run for that office again at our January, 2008 meeting. The day before that meeting I was asked by someone in party leadership to run against her; I agreed to accept the nomination. I would not, however, make phone calls or send e-mails asking for support, since I knew Jennifer was experiencing a difficult pregnancy and would be unable to match that effort. I knew it could cost me the election, but it was an ethical decision I felt I needed to make.
The election happened, and I won by a narrow margin.
A few days later one of our state legislators contacted John Knutson, state party chair, and claimed the election was not legitimate. During the two months between the January and March meetings I made many phone calls to state committee members looking for support. I found there was an awful lot of misinformation out there, though couldn't say by whom it was being spread. I cannot tell you how difficult that time was. I have devoted an enormous amount of time to the Democratic Party, am loved and honored by our county team, and led them to victory in two special elections last year (the first of which led to my attack from the Christian Civic League).
The state party chair asked for an opinion from our Rules Committee, which said there was no problem with the original election. Despite this, at last month's state committee meeting my election was repealed. Another election was held and I lost by just a few votes.
Do you plan to run for superdelegate status within your state's party in the future, or are you planning on challenging the "re-vote" that reinstated Jennifer DeChant?
Right now, I'm looking forward rather than back. I am running, and running hard, for Maine's DNC Woman slot. The election will be held on May 31st at our state convention. The campaign will cost several thousand dollars, but I believe it's time we sent an "outed" pagan to the Democratic National Committee. Our views, our voices, are different, and deserve to be heard on the national level. I have set up a PayPal account under my campaign e-mail address: DNCWoman@gmail.com, and hope to have the help of my fellow Pagans who agree with me on this. Folks (especially Mainers going to the state convention) can also contact me at that same address with advice and inspiration. I'd love to pull together a Pagan Caucus, if only via e-mail.
What are your broader political goals? Do you hope to run for elected office at some point in the future? Do you think America will get to a point where (open) modern Pagans will be elected to government in our lifetimes?
I've been urged to run for political office, but feel that working in the background is best for me. Frankly, I am afraid of the negative effects on our small business (independent bookstore) should my faith become an issue in a legislative campaign. Being "outed" by the Christian Civic League certainly hasn't helped business, and this would make it all happen again on an even larger scale.
That being said, I believe there may well be open Pagans in elected office right now. We just don't know who they are!
I know that you are not currently a superdelegate, but had you held on to your position which Democratic presidential candidate would you have endorsed and why?
When the state committee elected me in January, I asked them just that question. Overwhelmingly they urged me to vote so that the superdelegates' ballots would reflect the outcome of Maine's caucuses: 60% for Barack Obama and 40% for Hillary Clinton. If I were free to express a public opinion, however, I would overwhelmingly support Barack Obama. I feel his message of hope, his campaign which has been so incredibly inclusive, has inspired me.
On the larger question of superdelegates, I do not, and will never believe that they know more than the voters who participated in primaries and caucuses. That's elitism, plain and simple. Since the Democratic Party instituted the idea of superdelegates,a lot has changed, making it far easier for voters to be well-informed. When I'm elected to the Democratic National Committee I plan to address two issues: first, the superdelegates; second, the broken system of setting dates for primaries and caucuses.
Oh, and I'm intending to show up for my first DNC meeting wearing my rather discreet pentacle. Imagine that!
Finally, what advice would you give to a Pagan wanting to run for office or get involved in American party politics?
I've helped lots of candidates. I believe that job #1 for a candidate is to give people hope...hope that things can be better and that, as a candidate you with with your constituents and fellow legislators to make a difference, to make things better.
One-to-one voter contact, with that message (as well as a good, strong idea of who you are as a candidate) that will resonate with voters, is the key to getting elected. Phone calls and mailers are far, far less effective.
Previous Wild Hunt interviews: Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone, Phyllis Curott, Tim Ward, Lupa, J.C. Hallman, Margot Adler.
Labels: Christian Civil League, Democratic Party, interview, Maine, Paganism, politics, Presidential election, Rita Moran
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
4.07.2008
Darla Wynne's Political Aspirations
The involvement of Pagans in electoral politics continues to grow. You have a Pagan running for Sacramento mayor, and now Darla Wynne, who successfully sued the Great Falls Town Council in South Carolina over sectarian prayer, is aiming for a seat on the body she once litigated against.
Darla Kaye Wynne
"A dozen candidates are running, 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 is one of three candidates running to finish the term of Jack Taylor, who resigned from the Town Council in the wake of a controversial firing decision. Wynne is in favor of cutting taxes, greater accountability from the police, putting a greater focus on youth activities, and eradicating political corruption.
"I would have no problem shaking the tree to see how many snakes fell out of it to ensure that our local government was acting in the best interest of the people of this town, not their own or those of their 'buddies.' If you want to shake up the council, electing me would do exactly that and put them on notice that you are tired of the way things are going and being done."
Can a Wiccan who caused as much local controversy and outrage as Wynne get the votes she needs in this tiny town of 2,200 people? While scandal may have caused four members to either resign or not seek re-election, this is still a very conservative and Christian town, and any Pagan running for office would face an uphill battle. Then again, one of the candidates only recently registered to vote, and several are first-time candidates, so who knows how this may end?
Elections will be held tomorrow, on Tuesday, April 8th. I'll post an update here once results have come in.
Labels: Darla Wynne, Paganism, politics, South Carolina, Wicca
3.12.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
A conference of indigenous leaders from Mexico, the United States, and Canada met in Palenque, Mexico to discuss traditional solutions to environmental problems. The event, 'Indigenous People to Heal Our Mother Earth', gathered 200 leaders from 71 American Indian nations, and was supported by Mexico's environment secretary, Juan Elvira Quesada.
"Our Mother Earth is being polluted at an alarming rate, and our elders say that she is dying," said Raymond Sensmeier, a Tlingit leader from Yakutat, Alaska. "The way the weather is around the world ... a cleansing is needed" ... "I sometimes talk to scientists," said Sensmeier, "and they compartmentalize things, put things in boxes and disconnect them, and doing so promotes disharmony and imbalance." Kuetlachtli Texotik, a Nahuatl healer from Mexico whose name means "Blue Wolf," agreed. "Our grandfathers taught us to have an integrated vision," he said. "The important thing is to look for balance. We should take care of what does not belong to us, for the future, because it is only ours temporarily."
Organizers hope that indigenous American leaders can become guides in "restoring balance and harmony in the world". To "wake up the world" to the environmental problems surrounding them.
Reuters interviews David Domke, co-author of the new book "The God Strategy: How Religion Became A Political Weapon In America," who explains just how entwined (predominately Christian) religion has become in our political process.
"The reality is that in American presidential politics not willing to publicly emphasize your faith will mean you will not be a serious candidate on either side of the partisan aisle ... the fusion of religion and politics is absolutely contrary to what the founders desired for the country. They fled religious sectarian violence, religious persecution and they set out build a new place where God would be part of the equation but there wouldn't be a state, a national religion."
A political atmosphere like this is decidedly hostile to religious minorities taking power, an exclusive "Christ-centered" politics that transcends the usual Republican party suspects to include Democratic presidential candidates as well. Can the wall of separation between Church and State remain strong when both political parties now "emphasize their faith" as a campaign tool?
The Boston Herald reports on Laurie "Official Witch of Salem" Cabot's 75th birthday-bash over the weekend. The extravagant affair included a dancing snake charmer, fire-spinning, and the attendance of Godsmack frontman Sully Erna.
"Godsmack frontman Sully Erna was among the 100 Wiccans who flew in from around the country over the weekend for a surprise 75th birthday party for Laurie Cabot, the Official Witch of Salem. "Before I met Laurie, I was in a really low point in my life," Sully told the crowd. "I owe Laurie everything. (She) changed my life around." Apparently, the headbanger and the high priestess of witchcraft have been tight for years ... Cabot's bewitching birthday bash was thrown by fun couple Tom Lang and Alexander Westerhoff at their Manchester-by-the-Sea stone villa."
A happy birthday to Ms. Cabot, may she enjoy happiness and good health.
Kathryn Price NicDhana brings us the latest in the ongoing struggles to halt the M3 motorway expansion through the Tara-Skryne valley, the spiritual heart of Ireland.
"As bulldozers and chainsaws cut into the forest and hill of Rath Lugh - one of a number of ancient tombs and holy wells in peril due to the road work in the Tara-Skryne Valley - protesters have announced that they have dug tunnels under the proposed roadway, and are willing to risk their lives in defense of the land."
While these new actions have succeeded in delaying construction, it remains to be seen if this expensive (and increasingly unpopular) project can ultimately be stopped. Irish Poet Laureate Seamus Heaney recently called the M3 construction a "ruthless desecration", and the site has been declared an "endangered monument" by the World Monuments Fund.
In a final note, two recent legal decisions affecting modern Pagans have come to my attention. First, Tropaion reports that the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Greece can not require a statement of religious belief as part of the admission ceremony to the state bar.
"Legal Court rulings are one of the few forums where precedents are truly set. This landmark decision by the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Alexandrididis vs Greece (application number 19516/2006) will definitely make it much easier for others in the legal and other professions to follow suit. It will mean that people will not have to state their religious beliefs in what are clearly state matters."
This is an important precedent for the small groups of Hellenic polytheists (and other religious minorities) in the Orthodox Christian dominated State. Further updates to this story are expected to be posted, here.
Meanwhile, another prisoner free-exercise case involving a member of the Asatru faith has made the news. A judge has recommended the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by inmate Darrell Hoadley. Hoadley, who is serving a life sentence for a 2000 torture-killing, brought suit requesting items he says are necessary for his faith.
"The penitentiary has allowed several Asatru items since settling a 2000 lawsuit - including a ritual drinking horn, wooden wand and wooden hammer - but Hoadley wanted more, such as horse meat and a plastic sword. In a motion to dismiss, prison officials said some requests are 'too outrageous to merit serious consideration.' U.S. Magistrate Judge John Simko, who was taken off the case in favor of U.S. District Judge Lawrence Piersol, said in a report filed Wednesday that the case should be dismissed."
I can't think of any Asatru tradition that requires a sword and the partaking of horse meat in order to honor the gods. Considering Hoadley's security status (he is isolated from the general population), and the concessions already made, it doesn't look like he has much of a case. The judge looks on solid ground for recommending dismissal.
That is all I have for now, have a great day!
Labels: American Indian, Asatru, Christianity, Greece, Hill of Tara, indigenous, Laurie Cabot, law, litigation, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, politics, Prison, Salem
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
2.24.2008
Starhawk on Obama's Magic
The Washington Post's "On Faith" blog asks its panelists to weigh in on if presidential candidate Barack Obama elicits "religious fervor" among his followers. Pagan author and activist Starhawk's response is that Obama is casting a "good and needed spell".
"If politicians hired Witches or magicians as consultants, we'd tell them that your deep mind responds to positive words and images, and doesn't get 'no' ... Magically speaking, then, Obama is casting a good spell. Whether he wins or loses, he's filling the psychic and emotional atmosphere with words like 'healing' and 'hope'. The effect is like a clean breeze blowing through a morass of stinking, noxious fumes. People want to believe, because they like the way he makes them feel about themselves ... Obama evokes some powerfully appealing archetypes. Think of all those myths and fairy tales about the humble-seeming outsider who turns out to be the true king, throwing out the corrupt rulers and restoring health and healing. We're a contradictory people - we love underdogs, while we despise losers - but there's nothing we love more than the little guy who comes from behind and beats all the odds to win the pennant."
Starhawk also takes some time to advise Hillary Clinton to drop the experienced "responsible mom" meme she has been spreading as part of her campaign, stop attacking Obama on issues of "faith and trust", and go the route of the visionary instead.
"In the contest of archetypes, women are at a disadvantage, facing a deep, unconscious sexism that limits our collective imagination ... if I were Hillary Clinton's campaign advisor, I'd tell her, stay away from that archetype. Responsible Mom is not going to win over Aragorn the Exiled King. Instead, I would urge, be Joan of Arc. Find your vision, and be so passionately driven by it that you would stand forth and challenge kings and armies. Show us your courage, which we know you have. Tell us 'I stood forth and went into realms where few women dared to go, because I care so deeply about the welfare of all of us.'"
As the March 4th primaries approach, it remains to be seen if Obama's "magic spell" will hold out, or if Clinton will be able to break through with her own visionary message. But win or lose, it seems apparent that Obama's "good and needed spell" will continue to resonate, and like all primal archetypal magic, may change the Democratic party, and America, more deeply than we may realize now.
Labels: archetypes, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Magic, On Faith, politics, Presidential election, Starhawk
2.10.2008
The New Anti-Paganism
Now that the Democratic party is rushing to publicly embrace God and close the "religion gap" with rival Republicans, and with secularism seemingly on the run (or at least out of fashion), some Christian conservatives are looking towards a new scapegoat that will appeal to their audience: Paganism. While certain segments of Christianity have always been a bit obsessed with "the occult" and other "dark forces" that could imperil one's soul, this new anti-Pagan alignment casts Christians as caring individuals wanting to cure a religious "sickness" caused by an irreligious secular age.
"If you think that secular humanism has become biblical Christianity's most threatening opponent in contemporary society, Peter Jones wants you to think again. He will tell you - politely but emphatically - that you're at least a decade or two behind the curve ... Jones calls it neo-paganism. Around the world, in dozens of shapes, names, and forms, it is winning the allegiance and hearts especially of young people who are already disillusioned with the empty promises of secularism and materialism. The idea of the supernatural no longer bothers or embarrasses them. They want to know there is something more "out there," and they are willing to explore bizarre realities to find whatever it might be."
Much like the evangelical crusade against homosexuality, adherence to a Pagan faith is starting to be seen as a "confusion", a tragic illness caused by a lack of knowledge concerning the "truth" of Christianity. To be cured, one must only hear the truth. So just as yesterday's "vicious sodomites" have become today's young men and women in need of intensive therapy to realize what is "normative", so too have Pagans morphed from Satanic helpers to a collection of over-earnest environmentalists, frustrated feminists, and misguided teens. As this re-alignment has happened, several Christian authors have cast themselves as champions of empathy working to help Christians "understand" Paganism and in turn, guide these poor "spiritually hungry" souls back towards the righteous path.
"Wicca is here and we need to face that," said Sanders, a speechwriter for the U.S. Department of Justice. "We can be threatened by these trends or we can see all of this as a sign that people are hunting for something that is greater than themselves, yearning for spiritual experiences they can call their own. They want to rebel against the secular culture and find a way to get back to nature."
While this emerging anti-Paganism has hardly replaced the vehement anti-secularism you still see within most conservative circles, fringe organizations like WorldNetDaily have devoted quite a bit of time and attention to the matter. Their special anti-Witchcraft publication was handed out freely at the recent Conservative Political Action Conference, gaining some mocking mentions from the press.
"The magazine Whistleblower examines 'Why So Many Americans Are Embracing Witchcraft,' and subsequently 'sexing each other in the moonlight while summoning spirits and casting spells.' The magazine's publisher concludes that Christians must never practice yoga, but instead 'serve like an occupying army of love and peace until Jesus comes back to reign as king.'"
This still-nascent trend will only enlarge as modern Paganism continues to make inroads towards the mainstream. As outreach groups try to re-tool their methods in an attempt to stop alienating the younger generations, you can expect more and more attention will be given to the "problem" of modern Paganism's growth. Some of the more dramatic Pagans out there might envision a new "Burning Times", but I think the truth is that you'll instead see loads of propaganda, hand-wringing editorials (won't anyone think of the children), and further attempts to legislate us back underground. In the meantime, I suppose it is something of a compliment to be ranked up there with secularism in the "dangers to Christianity" department.
Labels: Christianity, Paganism, politics, Religious Freedom, Wicca, WorldNetDaily
2.07.2008
Who Would The Goddess Vote For?
As Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama continue to compete for their party's nomination, endorsements from all corners and walks of life have been emerging in hopes of swaying like-minded voters to back their preferred candidate. Recently, two figures who loom large within the Women's Spirituality/Goddess movement have made endorsements that draw stark lines in the sand.
Carol P. Christ and Robin Morgan
The first comes from poet, author, and activist Robin Morgan. Morgan, one of the founding members of W.I.T.C.H., and an extremely Pagan-friendly writer of works like "The Burning Time", and "The Network of the Imaginary Mother", has released an updated version of her classic feminist essay "Goodbye to All That". The new version, "Goodbye to All That (#2)", decries the double-standards applied to Hillary Clinton, and ends with a passionate rallying cry on her behalf.
"So goodbye to Hillary's second-guessing herself. The real question is deeper than her re-finding her voice. Can we women find ours? Can we do this for ourselves? "Our President, Ourselves!" Time is short and the contest tightening. We need to rise in furious energy - as we did when Anita Hill was so vilely treated in the U.S. Senate, as we did when Rosie Jiminez was butchered by an illegal abortion, as we did and do for women globally who are condemned for trying to break through. We need to win, this time. Goodbye to supporting HRC tepidly, with ambivalent caveats and apologetic smiles. Time to volunteer, make phone calls, send emails, donate money, argue, rally, march, shout, vote."
The second endorsement comes from Carol P. Christ, who first made waves back in 1978 with her essay "Why Women Need the Goddess", and has since become a noted author on women's spirituality and feminist theology. Christ, on the Women and Spirituality blog, explains why she voted for Barack Obama, and why she didn't vote for Hillary Clinton.
"I did not vote for Hillary Clinton because she voted for the second Iraq War (and did not repudiate the first one). When Hillary tells us that she was mislead by President Bush and that if she had known then what she knows now she might have voted differently, I ask: Why didn't she know then? I had listened to the news and I knew that the IAEA had not found evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and was asking for more time to carry out its inspections. I knew that war is almost never a solution and that its victims are overwhelmingly women, children and old people. I knew that rape is an ordinary tool of war. I knew that military training is based upon the idea of rooting out the empathy that ordinary people feel for one another. I had marched against other wars, and I marched against the impending Iraq war in Mytiline, Greece-- along with millions of others around the world. Barack spoke out against the Iraq war when he was waging an uphill battle for the Senate and after he had been advised to keep his mouth shut. Apparently we knew something that Hillary Clinton didn't. The fact that she didn't know suggests to me that she will be quite capable of leading the nation into other ill-advised and unnecessary wars if she is elected."
This split over Clinton and Obama isn't just happening with feminists important to the Goddess movement's development, prominent feminists from all walks of life are split over who to back this primary season. Which brings us to the question: who would The Goddess vote for? Perhaps, considering that the divine feminine has many faces, there is room for both opinions?
Labels: Carol Christ, politics, Presidential election, Religion, Robin Morgan, The Goddess
1.16.2008
(More) Religion and Politics
According to a Reuters blog posting, a group of Catholic, evangelical and mainline Protestant leaders have released a statement urging presidential candidates to stop using religion to further partisan goals. Co-sponsored by Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good and Faith in Public Life, the statement decries the "troubling" ways that faith has intruded into political competition.
"In this year's presidential campaign, we are troubled to see candidates pressed to pronounce the nature of their religious beliefs, asked if they believe every word of the Bible ... and faced with prejudicial analyses of their denominational doctrines"
The statement lays out three guiding principles that candidates should follow:
1. That religious differences should not be used to marginalize or disparage candidates.
2. That candidates should acknowledge "that no faith can lay exclusive claim to the moral values that enrich our public life."
3. "While it is appropriate for candidates to connect their faith to their policy positions, their positions on policy must respect all citizens regardless of religious belief."
While these principles were written by a coalition of Christian believers, they are written in such a way that just about any religious believer (including this Pagan) could endorse them. The question is if anyone will pay attention to these social justice organizations. Their call for a cease-fire in the Christmas Wars went largely unheeded, and certain politicians seem ever-more eager to use religion in order to further their political careers.
"I have opponents in this race who do not want to change the Constitution. But I believe it's a lot easier to change the Constitution than it would be to change the word of the living God. And that's what we need to do is amend the Constitution so it's in God's standards rather than trying to change God's standards so it lines up with some contemporary view of how we treat each other and how we treat the family." - Mike Huckabee, January 14, 2008
Looks like someone has already thrown principles one and two right out the window. This, along with other recent developments, seem to point to a presidential season that refuses to stop using religion as a weapon. If this trend continues, what will happen when a true religious outsider (other than a Mormon) makes a serious run for political office? Having seen brief glimmers of that future, I can tell you that it won't be pretty. Let's hope the principles set forth by Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, and Faith in Public Life, take root in future elections, because it seems unlikely they will this year.
Labels: America, Christianity, politics, Religion
12.31.2007
Top Ten Pagan Stories of 2007 (Part Two)
[You can read part one of this entry, here.]
05. Discrimination, Harassment, Hate Crimes, and Firings: Last year one of my picks for a top story was "Growing animosity and tensions between Christians and Pagans", and while this year didn't appear to be quite as bad, there seemed to be plenty of animosity to go around. Christians extremists fought for the right to intimidate us, Witches were beaten and stabbed in Canada, a Pagan store-owner had a noose left on her doorstep, and the FBI reported that hate crimes towards religious minorities is on the rise.
"A couple things become immediately clear, one, that Christians (both Protestant and Catholic) experienced the fewest religiously-motivated hate crimes of any faith grouping (despite claims of widespread anti-Christian activity by some conservative Christians), and two, that a large number of religious hate crimes (coming in third behind Muslims and Jews) are towards faiths that check the "other" box in surveys. In fact, the number of incidents against "other religions" have risen since 2005, with 41 more victims of a religious-motivated hate crime in 2006."
But it wasn't just threats and physical attacks, this year saw quite a few firings that seemed to be motivated by an anti-Pagan bias. In some cases rumor-mongering seems to have replaced due process, and people who were a bit too odd being labeled as "Witches".
"The same early December day a fellow substitute teacher asked if she was Wiccan, Harmon found herself in Principal Jamie (Rene) Tolbert's office answering questions about her appearance and whether she had discussed religion with students."
I wish I could say this particular story will diminish in 2008, but I think that as we continue to enter the mainstream, a certain minority of religious believers will do all in their power to shove us back into our "broom closets".
04. Pagans in Politics: This year, more than any other I have witnessed, saw modern Pagans involved with, and affected by, our political process. This year saw the Chair of the Kennebec County Democratic Committee in Maine outed as a Pagan by a conservative Christian group, who then stalked her and attempted to incite vandalism against her. When that didn't work they went after the vice-chair (who is also a Pagan). But you don't have to be a Pagan to get smeared politically, you only have to associate with them. An Asheville City Council found herself the victim of an attack ad based around her participation in a "save the trees" event, and subsequently lost her bid.
However, one of the biggest political events directly involving a modern Pagan has to be the scandal involving a deputy of Stuart Bowen, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction.
"[Ginger] 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."
In addition to these events, 2007 saw politics become ever-more Christian focused and identified. With non-Christian expressions of faith being shoved to the margins by Presidential candidates, and non-Christian prayer getting shouted down in our halls of government. With monotheist modes of belief becoming more blatant and forceful across the political spectrum, will there be a place for Pagans (or any religious outsiders) in the near future?
03. Salem's Psychic Wars (plus other psychic legal developments): Divination and psychic services were all over the news in 2007. With many modern Pagans making a portion of their living from providing tarot readings or other divination methods, laws regulating, taxing, or outlawing these services can become a big issue (fiscally and religiously). Michigan recently started taxing psychic readers claiming it was a "high-income" service, a local Wiccan was successful in getting Caspar, Wyoming to remove its ordinance against fortune telling, Philadelphia used a previously unenforced state law to close down psychics, tarot readers, and other diviners in the city, and Livingston Parish in Louisiana passed a religiously-motivated ordinance against all forms of fortune-telling despite objections from local Pagans.
But the biggest story involving psychics, the law, and modern Pagans had to be the "psychic wars" in the "Witch City" of Salem, Massachusetts. With 10% of Salem's population practicing Witches, and a large amount of Salem's tourist income based on Halloween traffic, proposed licensing regulations on psychic readers became a heated debate between rival factions. A debate that took a criminal turn, when one couple decided to use intimidation tactics. A situation that gained national attention, and was even reported on in Time Magazine. The Salem story points to the growing cultural relevance of Pagan faiths (especially when big money is involved) in America. As regional Pagan populations grow, expect to see more conflicts (and cooperation) with local governments over divination services, religious freedom, and local laws.
02. Pagans in the Public Square: A late development this year, but an important one nonetheless, is the recent eruption in the "Christmas Wars" involving modern Pagans. Three separate cases involving public property, religious Nativity displays, and Wiccan participation, have placed modern Pagans on the forefront of the debate over the separation of Church of State, religious freedom, and pluralism. One case is heading for litigation, while another appears to be drawing out into the Spring. Expect these cases to loom large in 2008, and set the stage for next Winter's battles.
01. The Veteran Pentacle Win, and Pagans in the Military: My top story for 2006 was the Veteran Pentacle Quest, and the biggest for 2007 is the successful win in getting the Pentacle symbol approved for Veteran headstones and markers. In addition, we saw Pagan groups forming coalitions in order to expand that recognition to other Pagan symbols, and an ongoing struggle to get a Pagan military chaplain approved. Aside from activism, we also saw stories about Pagans in the military, and how safe they are in an increasingly Christian military.
The legal and social struggles concerning Nativity displays and Pagan soldiers have some of the farthest-reaching implications for modern Pagans in America. Situations that have gained international attention, and in the case of the Veteran Pentacle Quest, President Bush. 2008 will very likely see even more important developments involving these stories.
That wraps up my top ten news stories about or affecting modern Paganism in 2007. Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll join me for another year of sifting through the news and views of interest to our communities. See you in 2008!
Labels: discrimination, hate crime, Nativity Display, Pagan Soldiers, Paganism, politics, psychics, Salem, Top 10 religion stories of the year, Veteran Pentacle Quest, War on Christmas
12.10.2007
A Few Quick Notes
A slow news day in the Pagan world, but there were a few interesting tidbits I would like to share with you. First off, UU-Blogger Philocrites says everything I could possibly want to say concerning Mitt Romney's "Faith in America" speech.
"By trying to define "faith" as conservative traditionalism and "pluralism" as a name for monotheistic traditionalism, Romney misrepresented the true diversity of American religion, explicitly dismissed Americans who don't identify with a religious tradition, and painted the traditions he did mention in a way that celebrates their most traditionalist wings and ignores almost all of their visions for the commonweal. What a disappointment."
Also of interest is Slacktivist's analysis of the speech, in which he questions the logic of throwing (non-Mormon) religious outsiders under the bus in order to curry favor with the Christian Right.
"The speech includes some decent stretches, but it was not, primarily, a courageous plea for religious tolerance and mutual respect. It was, instead, primarily an obsequious bit of sucking up by an outsider hoping to curry favor with the in crowd by parroting their condemnation of other outsiders ... Romney's gambit here comes straight from the school yard. As a Mormon, he is an outsider, getting picked on by the bullies of the religious right. Instead of standing up to the bullies, he sucks up to them, trying to prove his loyalty and win their approval by acting like them and picking on the other outcasts and outsiders. 'You guys want to pretend that 'secular' and 'profane' are synonyms? I can do that. Look, I'll even beat up this atheist kid for you. See? I'm just like you guys!'"
Turning from politics to holiday celebrations (a topic that is only slightly less contentious), the expected "winter festivals other than Christmas" stories are starting to pop up. The American Chronicle runs a commentary piece by Saqqara Aleister concerning pre-Christian winter holidays and how they have influenced our present-day festivities.
"So as the Winter Solstice once again is upon planet Earth, look to where your celebration may have come from. Look to others in this time of "Christmas" and see, we are all celebrating the same season. Everyone may not celebrate in the same way but we are all celebrating birth, death and rebirth in our own unique way. A way that our ancient forefathers saw coming thousands of years ago as they huddled in caves watching over their food stores waiting for the snow to melt and the warmth of spring to return. May your observance be merry and happy."
Meanwhile, The Daily Titan (a college paper for the California State University in Fullerton) interviews a Wiccan about Yule celebrations.
"Tracing its roots back to Scandinavian aboriginals, Yule celebrates the winter solstice. "[It] centers around December 20 to the 23 in the northern hemisphere," said Paul Levesque, comparative religion professor. This year, it will take place on Dec. 20 and pagans will celebrate the return of the warm sun ahead of the long winter days. "[It's about] showing the unity of creation, light in the darkness," Levesque said. Yule also reinforces the notion of rebirth during the wintertime and it commemorates the New Year in western and northern traditions of Wicca."
No doubt an expose on the mysterious "Western" and "Northern" traditions of Wicca will be forthcoming. In addition to these stories, you can find plenty of "pagan roots of Christmas" articles written with different degrees of talent by a variety of columnists hard-up for fresh ideas. They should all take a cue from Tony Sachs at the Huffington Post, who writes an amusing story of how his grade-school tried to solve the religious diversity problem by settling on a common denominator: paganism.
"I can sort of understand, however, why none of us thought twice about what was called "Candlelighting Day" but was really "Freaky Quasi-Druidic Festival." We were just kids, for cryin' out loud. Give us a half day of school with an assembly instead of classes and we'd do anything. Celebrate the holidays with a mass wedding presided over by Sun Myung Moon? No problem, as long as it gets me out of algebra. Bite the heads off some Christmas doves with Ozzy Osbourne? Like, sure, whatever. Is it noon yet?"
Ah, the innocence of childhood.
Finally, for the book lovers out there (and you know who you are), Bookslut has a profile of the literary smorgasbord that is the Exhibit Hall of the American Academy of Religion's yearly meeting.
"Any academic conference's pedestrian aorta leads right into the Exhibit Hall, a place clogged with publishers' book booths. Last month, I immersed myself in the clamorous annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) -- Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) in San Diego, and thus was able to graze in the mother of all Exhibit Halls. As one of 9,000-plus attendees, I joined other book lovers in walking up one aisle and down the next, refusing to miss a back corner or hidden grotto and thus a possible gem."
I don't know about you, but I'm totally planning on being at the next AAR meeting in Chicago. Pagan scholars, academic papers, and more books than you can shake a stick at. What more could you want?
Labels: American Academy of Religion, books, Festival, Mitt Romney, Pagan Studies, Paganism, politics, Religion, Unitarian-Universalism, Winter Solstice, Yule
11.29.2007
Starhawk and Sexual Ethics
Author, activist, and On Faith panelist Starhawk weighs in on the issue of political sex scandals. She starts off with explaining that most modern Pagans don't have the same sexual restrictions and hang-ups as many monotheist traditions.
"To Pagans, sexuality is sacred, for it holds within it the possibility of deep, loving, ecstatic connection to the great creative life-force we call the Goddess. So, we start from the premise that sex itself is a good thing ... Inside or out of marriage, sex is no sin. Our moral questions about sex or any other act would be, 'Is it hurtful'? Is it something you have to lie about, something that breaks a trust or causes deeper wounds?"
We may not all call the creative life-force "the Goddess", but that is a fairly decent summation of the sexual ethics often found within Pagan circles. But Starhawk runs into some trouble when it appears that she is inserting her personal opinions into an explanation of Pagan sexual ethics (without making that qualification).
"When a president has sex with an intern, or a senator with a page, there's a huge imbalance in power. Exploiting those roles for sexual conquest is a misuse of that position - even when both parties are consenting adults, for the charisma of power warps judgment."
So which is it? Are they consenting adults or not? Can you make a free and consenting decision if you are "warped" by the other's power? Should people from different social and economic strata avoid sexual relationships lest the "charisma of power" propel them into an unhealthy situation, or does this only apply to those working within politics? I do think it is safe to say that this view isn't universally held by Pagans, or by humanity itself. I wish Starhawk had made it clear that this was her view (as she does with later comments in the essay), and not an issue of broad consensus among modern Pagans.
What do you think?
ADDENDUM: I just want to be clear that I am not attacking Starhawk personally, in fact I agree with much of what she has to say about power dynamics. My point is that the essay made it seem that she was speaking for modern Paganism as whole, when if fact there are many different ideas on sexual ethics and power dynamics within our family of faiths.
10.22.2007
Pagans As Political Weapon
Back in July I reported on the actions of Dixie Deerman (aka Lady Passion), a Wiccan from Asheville, North Carolina, who was trying to save a local magnolia tree marked for cutting by developers.
"Wiccan priestess Dixie Deerman of Coven Oldenwilde in Asheville says the line has to be drawn somewhere, and this is it. Deerman, also known as Lady Passion, has invited Pagans, Wiccans and others to encircle the tree Friday evening and chant spells to protect it."
It seems that some local environmentalists showed up to her rally, including Elaine Lite, a candidate for the Asheville City Council. Lite, I'm sure, thought nothing of her appearance until news footage of the event was re-edited and used as a political attack ad by local conservative group Carolina Stompers.
Local Democrats weren't pleased and filed a complaint saying that the Carolina Stompers need to register as a PAC (political action committee) if they are going to run attack ads. But so far the conservative group has used the loophole of not telling people how to vote to escape this legal classification.
"A television ad bought by the conservative Carolina Stompers - which mocks City Council candidate Elaine Lite for participating in a Wiccan prayer - may not force the group to register as a political committee. The commercial doesn't explicitly ask voters to reject Lite, the message that would legally identify it as a campaign expenditure, according to the state elections board."
Lite calls the attack "desperate", and support for the candidate has been snowballing. But this ad marks yet another occasion in which affiliation (real or otherwise) with modern Paganism has been used as a political weapon. This event recalls the recent story of Rita Moran, a Democratic Party Chair in Maine, who was "outed" as a Pagan and subsequently stalked in order to smear the State party. The Republicans who engage in these activities must be truly bankrupt morally and ethically if using religion as a weapon seems like a good idea to them.
Labels: Carolina Stompers, Democratic Party, Elaine Lite, North Carolina, politics, Rita Moran
10.13.2007
Pagans Take Stand on Military Intervention
Yesterday, a group of prominent Pagan organizations and individuals sent out a press release concerning the possibility of preemptive military action in Iran. The statement, spearheaded by M. Macha NightMare, Ellen Evert Hopman, Maureen Duffy-Boose, and Nancy Machin, calls for political leaders to use diplomacy as the primary means of dealing with recent tensions between the United States and Iran.
"We are an ad hoc group of Americans who practice diverse Earth-based religions. We affirm the wisdom of peace, tolerance, and justice. These principles are consistent with the values and beliefs of our Pagan religions. We seek to exist in goodwill and fellowship with all peoples, cultures, and nations. In so doing, we express our love for the Earth and acknowledge our interconnectedness with all living things.
In the face of escalating international tensions regarding Iran, we urge the use of diplomatic actions for a peaceful resolution of differences. We reject any rush to military action, since we believe that diplomatic means will lead to a safer, more just, and more constructive solution. Therefore, we call on our political leaders to use diplomacy to create goodwill, peace, and harmony among nations, religions, and peoples."
Among the organizations signing on to the statement are the Coalition of Earth Religions for Education and Support, CUUPs, Lady Liberty League, the ADF, Reclaiming, and the Church of All Worlds. The last time such a coalition statement was made, it was in support of the Ninth Circuit's 2002 ruling to remove "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance (a ruling that was thrown out by the Supreme Court on a technicality).
M. Macha NightMare, one of the organizers of the statement, admits that such a statement will carry little influence with the administration, but she hopes it will act as the beginning of a big spell-working and a catalyst towards further solidarity actions within the Pagan community.
"I know we rushed this. I felt a sense of urgency. I don't know how widely this will eventually circulate, and I am not so naive as to think it will do much good in terms of influencing the administration, but I do believe it shows solidarity among Pagans, concern for the commonweal, and a willingness to stand up and be counted. The more we can act in solidarity, the more seriously we may be taken as a valid voting block ... I'm viewing this as a big spell-working."
No matter your view on relations with Iran, it should be interesting to see if this does inspire more coalitions of Pagan and Heathen individuals and organizations to start taking stands, and injecting their voices into debates over political and social issues.
Labels: America, Iran, Military, Paganism, politics, press release
10.08.2007
Columbus Day and Indigenous Reaction
Today is when Columbus Day is observed in the United States of America
AIM member Glenn Morris being arrested at
Saturday's Columbus Day parade in Colorado.
"At least 500 people protested, and many of them came prepared to draw attention and go to jail over their belief that the Italian-American celebration has racist roots ... Protesters sat down in the street to face off with police after Morris poured a bucket of red liquid bearing pieces of dismembered toy dolls. "This is only the beginning. The frustration has reached critical mass," Means said as police led him toward a pair of buses on Stout Street that they used to transport prisoners."
Some have tried to paint Indian resistance to the holiday as "lefties" who have gone too far with their "political correctness", a view that diminishes the very real ongoing struggle for justice, respect, and survival by Native peoples.
"Currently, mainstream America has a "just get over it" attitude to native peoples, dismissing our grievances as political correctness gone awry. But in the recent words of an elder, "If the shoe were on the other foot, Americans would carry laminated copies of their ancestors' treaties until they got their just dues." Asking the U.S. government to abandon Columbus Day in favor of Indigenous Peoples' Day is akin to asking for a sea change in the national psychology. It demands a soul-searching objectivity that is simply too threatening to the mainstream culture and economy."
Efforts to stop celebrations of Columbus Day have met with limited success, Minnesota doesn't recognize Columbus Day, and South Dakota changed the name to "Native American Day", but outside of these areas a sense of (perhaps willful) confusion over the issue remains.
"By commemorating the discovery of our country, undisputedly by Columbus, we're not condoning the oppression that followed but recognizing that from that day forward, from Oct. 12, 1492, the possibility of this nation was born."
Until that moment of "soul-searching objectivity" happens, Native American activists will continue to speak out, organize alternate events, and protest until change comes.
* The rest of the world observes it on the 12th, the actual day of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas. Venezuela celebrates a "Day of Indigenous Resistance" instead of Columbus Day.
Labels: American Indian, Columbus Day, indigenous, Native American, politics
10.07.2007
Taxing the Fortune-Tellers
The State of Michigan, in a severe budget crisis, has approved an expansion of its 6% sales taxes on a number of previously un-taxed services.
"Starting Dec. 1, lift tickets at Michigan ski resorts will be taxed 6%. Fees to play golf or to bowl won't. Personal fitness training will be taxed, too. Fitness centers won't. The TV repair guy will charge tax. Cable and satellite providers won't. Businesses will have to pay taxes on consulting, landscaping and janitorial services. But not for lawyers, lobbyists and accountants. Weird? Two lawmakers in the middle of final negotiations to extend the state's 6% sales tax to many services as part of the solution for the state's $1.75-billion budget deficit said they tried to focus on services not used by low and middle income people. But they acknowledge the result is muddy -- produced by sleepy legislators in marathon, pressure-packed sessions last weekend aimed at avoiding or quickly ending a state government shutdown."
Among the services "not used by low and middle income people" that made the list are fortune-telling, astrology, numerology, palm-reading, psychics, and phrenology. A situation that isn't exactly thrilling local practitioners of such arts.
"Of course, I don't want it. Nobody wants it," said Okemos astrologer and psychic Lynne Crandall, who will pass along the bookkeeping work to her accountant. "But I'll get in line with what I'm supposed to do." Crandall, who writes an astrology column for NOISE, a weekly publication of the Lansing State Journal, said she knew Granholm would be forced to make some tough calls on taxes. The governor's astrological chart showed she has a moon in the sign of Capricorn, she said, which means "financially, she's a really tough cookie, and she would make sure all the bottom lines are covered." "I just pray the state returns to some kind of financial health so we don't have so many people leaving," Crandall said.
Metaphysical shops in Michigan who offer psychic readings and other related services will also feel the pinch.
"Mona Lindsay, co-owner of Wisdom of the Ages in Howell, said she's equally perplexed as to why psychic readings and the related services her business offers will be taxed. The business charges $35 for a 30-minute psychic reading, and the same amount for Tarot card readings. The tax comes to $2.10 per reading. "I thought that was just ridiculous. I was totally shocked when I was listening to the news yesterday morning that that stuff would even be taxable," Lindsay said. Lindsay said she didn't think that amount of service tax will boost Michigan's overall tax base. She said she'll be meeting with her business partner to re-examine how they charge for readings."
Defenders of the tax expansion say that they are only taxing "nonessential" services used primarily by high-income people. However, anyone who has met or frequented tarot or psychic practitioners know that these fields are filled with lower- and middle-income people catering to those of similar socioeconomic backgrounds. Services that are used often by the upper classes, like country clubs, lawyers, licensed stockbrokers, lobbyists and accountants are immune to the new tax expansion. Much of the list defines services that legislators apparently feel people shouldn't use. Despite the claims of defenders, this expanded list is regressive in nature and doesn't really increase the tax burden of the rich.
10.03.2007
A Christian Nation, A Christian President
Republican Presidential hopeful John McCain caused controversy this week by stating his belief that America was founded on "Christian" principles, and that he would hesitate to elect a non-Christian to office.
"I just have to say in all candor that since this nation was founded primarily on Christian principles.... personally, I prefer someone who I know who has a solid grounding in my faith ... I would probably have to say yes, that the Constitution established the United States of America as a Christian nation. But I say that in the broadest sense. The lady that holds her lamp beside the golden door doesn't say, "I only welcome Christians." We welcome the poor, the tired, the huddled masses. But when they come here they know that they are in a nation founded on Christian principles."
While the criticism towards this rather narrow view of American history is warranted, Heathen blogger Hrafnkell points out that a large number of people believe exactly what McCain said:
"McCain only represents a very visible manifestation of a much more serious and widespread problem. That 55% of Americans think the United States was founded as a Christian nation and cite the Constitution as proof of this, we are in trouble. And this demonstrates how effective the big lie can be."
Sadly, McCain's Christian-centric view of America isn't unique from either party. Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton is a member of the overwhelmingly conservative (and secretive) Christian organization "The Fellowship", which seeks to bring Jesus back to Capitol Hill, and Christian-oriented "God-talk" has been a dominant theme in the race to the White House.
"This effort is apparent on the stump, where many of the Democratic candidates speak openly of religion and God and present moral justifications for their policies. It's also going on behind the scenes, with presidential campaigns hiring strategists to coordinate their outreach to religious communities and holding weekly conference calls with religious leaders."
We still live in a country where the election of a Muslim Congressman who doesn't want to swear in on the Bible causes controversy, where Pagans who do participate in the political process risk being "outed" by their political opponents, where a Hindu is shouted down in the Senate and not a single candidate decries the action, and where a debate on indigenous issues is blown off by all of the Democratic front-runners. The message to religious minorities is clear: you aren't valued, and we will pander almost exclusively to Christian voters in order to win.
None of this is to say I expect Obama or Giuliani to start pressing flesh at Pagan festivals. I understand that a clear majority of people in America identify as Christian, but I do want to see more talk about the Separation of Church and State and less talk about how awesome they think Jesus is. Otherwise, it becomes difficult to know who is merely expressing a personal belief, and who is establishing a mandate for a Christian-led society. It is clear we will be electing a Christian President in 2008, but we must be ever-vigilant that it won't be as the executive of a "Christian Nation".
Labels: Christianity, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, politics, Presidential election, Religion, Religious Freedom
9.15.2007
Susan Sarandon Out of the Broom Closet?
Conservative watchdog site NewsBusters, has posted an analysis of actress Susan Sarandon's 9/11 appearance on ABC's "The View". Aside from the usual partisan complaints, NewsBusters blogger Tim Graham also takes note of Sarandon's comments concerning Kathy Griffin's controversial "Suck it, Jesus" Emmy speech.
Sarandon posing with tarot cards on the set of "King of the Gypsies"
"I just said my God has a big sense of humor. It's much bigger than that. And I wonder if somebody had actually gone down and thanked Allah, what would have happened? I mean, a God other than the one that's accepted for the most part in this country, a Wiccan? I don't know. We're very specific in our gods, but I really think She has a much bigger sense of humor."
Now this doesn't necessarily prove anything, plenty of feminists and liberal theologians tend to change up the gender pronouns when discussing "God". But mentioning Wicca and then calling God "She" certainly sets off my Pagan radar (Pagdar?). Some years ago, when Beliefnet asked Sarandon directly what her spiritual path was, she certainly went out of her way to not give a direct answer.
"I try to live my life every day in the present, and try not to turn a blind eye to injustice and need. I wish I did more. I feel my family's needs are a priority. I'm not comfortable with the idea of serving the many and ignoring my family. In the bigger picture, I see myself getting more and more involved as they leave the nest and don't need the daily attention."
Despite the speculation, and NewsBusters labeling her a "Goddess worshiper", the jury on Sarandon's religious affiliation remains out. We'll just have to wait and see if she pulls a Cybill Shepherd and thanks the Goddess at an awards show.
Labels: NewsBusters, Paganism, politics, Susan Sarandon, The Goddess, The View, Wicca
9.14.2007
Landmark UN Declaration on Indigenous Rights Adopted
A historic United Nations declaration concerning the rights of indigenous peoples was adopted yesterday. This document, which from its first inception took over twenty years to gain approval, is a strong statement affirming the basic rights of indigenous populations to self-determination and freedom from human rights abuses.
"The declaration affirms the equality of the more than 370 million indigenous peoples and their right to maintain their own institutions, cultures and spiritual traditions. It also establishes standards to combat discrimination and marginalization and eliminate human rights violations against them."
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the only four countries to vote against the declaration (143 for, 11 abstentions) were Canada, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. Four countries that have troubled legal and moral histories with their own indigenous populations.
"Several detractors also warned that the declaration set a poor precedent, calling the text confusing and unclear. "We're not standing against the issue," said Benjamin Chang, a spokesman for the U.S. Mission to the U.N. "We want one that is universal in its scope and can be implemented. What was done today is not clear. The way it stands now is subject to multiple interpretations and doesn't establish a clear universal principal." Australia's U.N. Ambassador Robert Hill said the declaration failed to meet standards "that would be universally accepted, observed and upheld." He said "Australia continues to have many concerns with the text." The U.S. and Australia said sponsors excluded them from negotiations where agreement was reached on the amended text."
Yes, I can see how ensuring minimum standards of human rights for indigenous populations could be "confusing" to nations with a history of treating indigenous peoples as sub-human. But while some countries grouse over their "concerns" with the document, a mood of jubilation