No Freedom Of Religion In Death For American Hero
Apparently our military is feeling a bit uncomfortable with the Wiccan Pentacle and has been a bit slow to approve it for placement on military grave markers (9 years and still counting). It’s o.k. to serve and die as a Wiccan but don’t expect the same respect as Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, and atheists in death.
At the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in the small town of Fernley, Nev., there is a wall of brass plaques for local heroes. But one space is blank. There is no memorial for Sgt. Patrick D. Stewart.
That’s because Stewart was a Wiccan, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has refused to allow a symbol of the Wicca religion — a five-pointed star within a circle, called a pentacle — to be inscribed on U.S. military memorials or grave markers.
The department has approved the symbols of 38 other faiths; about half of are versions of the Christian cross. It also allows the Jewish Star of David, the Muslim crescent, the Buddhist wheel, the Mormon angel, the nine-pointed star of Bahai and something that looks like an atomic symbol for atheists.
Stewart, 34, is believed to be the first Wiccan killed in combat. He was serving in the Nevada National Guard when the helicopter in which he was riding was shot down in Afghanistan last September. He previously had served in the Army in Korea and Operation Desert Storm. He was posthumously awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star.
[…]
Wicca is one of the fastest-growing faiths in the country. Its adherents have increased almost 17-fold from 8,000 in 1990 to 134,000 in 2001, according to the American Religious Identification Survey. The Pentagon says that more than 1,800 Wiccans are on active duty in the armed forces.
Wiccans still suffer, however, from the misconception that they are devil worshipers. Some Wiccans call themselves witches, pagans or neopagans. Most of their rituals revolve around the cycles of nature, such as equinoxes and phases of the moon. Wiccans often pick and choose among religious traditions, blending belief in reincarnation and feminine gods with ritual dancing, chanting and herbal medicine.
Federal courts have recognized Wicca as a religion since 1986. Prisons across the country treat it as a legitimate faith, as do the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. military, which allows Wiccan ceremonies on its bases.
“My husband’s dog tags said ‘Wiccan’ on them,” Stewart noted.
But applications from Wiccan groups and individuals to VA for use of the pentacle on grave markers have been pending for nine years, during which time the symbols of 11 other faiths have been approved.[“Fallen Soldier Gets a Bronze Star but No Pagan Star” (WashingtonPost.com)]
Hat tip: Thudfactor.
tags: Faith, Wiccan, Freedom of Religion
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on July 19, 2006 at 1:20 pm
Big Dog said:
I thought all you lefties wanted religion removed from everything especially everything government. How can you fight for a religious symbol in a government owned grave yard?
on July 19, 2006 at 1:38 pm
n. mallory said:
I don’t want religion removed from anything. I’m big on Faith and celebrating everyone’s Faith.
Mind you, I have problems with the Catholic and Christian churches, though I myself and a Christian, but I embrace Faith and everyone’s right to their own Faith as long as it is unharmful to anyone else.
on July 20, 2006 at 7:14 am
Thud said:
Bigdog is suffering from a common ailment: believing too strongly in the straw man.
on July 24, 2006 at 1:26 am
Mena said:
Hmm. Big Dog has a point though of course we can’t assume all leftists want religion removed from public life and display and government property. The government is US, really, so instead of removing religious things we should simply embrace more of them and make it diverse. That would take care of people who insist that in order for them to feel comfortable they have to deny others freedom of expression of their faith.
I am not sure why the gov has approved all of those other symbols and not the pentacle. If the U.S. courts recognize wicca as a legit religion and even atheists are allowed a religious symbol, it doesn’t really make sense.
You must admit though that a lot of quite loud left-wingers have been fighting to suppress religious expression. It’s really hypocritical of them.
on July 24, 2006 at 6:54 am
Thud said:
Mena says: “You must admit though that a lot of quite loud left-wingers have been fighting to suppress religious expression.”
I say, point me to them. Since you say “a lot,” ten influential people on the left should be a good starting point. Also, please be sure to let me know how they want to suppress religious expression.
Keep this in mind:
The first clause of the First Amendment says: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
That plainly says the government is not allowed religious expression, but citizens are.
When the Government hangs the Ten Commandments on the courthouse door, that’s the Government expressing religion. That is unacceptable. It makes people who do do not adhere to that religion feel that they are not represented by their government.
When a soldier has a symbol put on his or her marker on a federal site, that’s a citizen exercising his or her right to free exercise of religion.