In honor of Sgt. Patrick Stewart
June 17, 2006 10:33 AM   Subscribe

Stand Up, Stand Up for Wicca A war widow rightly wonders: Whose freedom are we fighting for? Amidst a sea of memorial plaques at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, one space remains blank. That space is waiting to be filled by a plaque honoring the life and sacrifice of 34-year-old Sgt. Patrick Stewart, who was killed in action on September 25, 2005....
posted by caddis (62 comments total)

This post was deleted for the following reason: posted previously



 
Wow, I don't know who's more wrong.
posted by borkingchikapa at 10:38 AM on June 17, 2006


No wait, I take that back. The government is wrong, the Wiccans are fighting for religious freedom.

Their beliefs are still dumb, though.
posted by borkingchikapa at 10:40 AM on June 17, 2006


Good article, bad headline, for as the author notes five paragraphs down, "there should be no doubt in anyone's mind that the First Amendment to our U.S. Constitution provides for religious freedom for all individuals of all faiths..."

Which for all purposes is a better rallying cry than "Stand up for Wicca."

I'd love to see the complete list of the 30 federally-approved religious symbols and the background on why those symbols are included and others aren't.
posted by Alexandros at 10:44 AM on June 17, 2006


Yeah, I sense a lot of disrespect on its way in this thread.
Metafilter and religion don't mix well. Especially any non-mainstream religion.
Regardless of what you think of Wicca, the law is about freedom of religion, not freedom of religion except those ones "normal" people don't follow.
posted by nightchrome at 10:46 AM on June 17, 2006


Curse you, George Bush!
posted by mischief at 10:46 AM on June 17, 2006


Alexandros: Well, it is from "Chistianity Today."
posted by KirkJobSluder at 10:53 AM on June 17, 2006


Their beliefs are still dumb, though.

uh... borking... to put it lightly, fuck you.
posted by matt_od at 10:54 AM on June 17, 2006


Wicca has been recognized by the courts as a bona fide religion for First Amendment purposes.
posted by caddis at 10:55 AM on June 17, 2006


Their beliefs are still dumb, though.

I can't see any way in which their beliefs are "dumber" than those of more mainstream religions.
posted by Neiltupper at 10:57 AM on June 17, 2006


If Wiccans would stop horrendously abusing European history for their own purposes and gloming on to the victimhood idea of that comes along with "witchcraft", I would have a lot more respect for their religion.
posted by Hildegarde at 11:03 AM on June 17, 2006


Well, gee, a quick search reveals that she has at least one ally:
"Sergeant Stewart and his family deserve recognition for their contributions to our country," said Tetz, executive director of the Nevada Office of Veterans Services. "It's unfortunate the process is taking so long, but I am certain Sergeant Patrick will ultimately receive his marker with the Wiccan symbol." (Washington Post)
posted by KirkJobSluder at 11:06 AM on June 17, 2006


If Christians would stop horrendously abusing Middle Eastern history for their own purposes and gloming on to the victimhood idea of that comes along with "crucifixion", I would have a lot more respect for their religion.

Sorry, no offense to Christianity, I just couldn't resist.
posted by languagehat at 11:07 AM on June 17, 2006


If Wiccans would stop horrendously abusing European history for their own purposes and gloming on to the victimhood idea of that comes along with "witchcraft", I would have a lot more respect for their religion.

wow... there is just going to be a lot of overly generalized moronic comments on this one, isn't there?
posted by matt_od at 11:09 AM on June 17, 2006


It doesn't matter if you think a religion is dumb or cherish it as your own. You have to treat them all equally, whether you endorse or oppress them.

But religious people who feel persecuted would do well to remember that some symbol on some plaque on some hunk of stone on some field somewhere has virtually nothing to do with the life or beliefs of some dead person.

If you're so spiritual, stop getting hung up on the physical and remember that no matter how free you are to do what you want, most people still don't care about it.
posted by chudmonkey at 11:11 AM on June 17, 2006


The content of the religion is absolutly, 100% irrelevant. We could be talking about pastafarianism. If you have a genuine religious belief, that ought to be respected and recognized by the military if you fall in service. Good for Christianity Today.
posted by Kifer85 at 11:12 AM on June 17, 2006


no matter how free you are to do what you want, most people still don't care about it.

can't say i agree with that sentiment. would seem that many time other people care TOO MUCH about what you feel you are free to do in your life. case in point: the proposed ammendment to our constitution to ban gay marriage.
posted by matt_od at 11:14 AM on June 17, 2006


I'd love to see the complete list of the 30 federally-approved religious symbols

Emblems of Belief Available
http://www.cem.va.gov/hmemb.htm
posted by worldswalker at 11:15 AM on June 17, 2006


Dupe.

If you read the last article you will see that the paperwork was already in process to get a Wiccan symbol. See? It isn't a vast government conspiracy, it's just no one filled out the right forms.

It also looks like the symbol might be approved really soon.
posted by sideshow at 11:17 AM on June 17, 2006


matt_od: you understand the different between the word 'most' and the word 'all', don't you?
posted by chudmonkey at 11:17 AM on June 17, 2006


This is a job for Sabrina!
posted by mischief at 11:22 AM on June 17, 2006


Someone needs to smudge aisle 52367.
posted by elwoodwiles at 11:29 AM on June 17, 2006


I like Holly Marie Combs. She's a witch, rite?
posted by exlotuseater at 11:34 AM on June 17, 2006


If Wiccans Religions would stop horrendously abusing Middle Eastern history for their own purposes and gloming on to the victimhood idea of that comes along with "witchcraft idiocy", I would have a lot more respect for their religion.



This is happening close to home for me. I've seen the empty spot where his name is supposed to be inscribed. It looks terribly out-of-place for the overall cemetery.

As it stands, I am 100% in favor of allowing the symbol on the plaque, a view which our government is only slowly coming to accept as the only one that fits with the constitution.

My parents, however, are appalled by it and want the effort stopped. They are willing to allow the spot to be perpetually empty as a sign to others that they don't consider some faiths as good as others. They also want all non-mainstream religious symbols discontinued permanently.

Worse yet, their church is actually pushing for legislation to exactly that effect, though I can only hope that no politicians are stupid enough to take that losing bet.
posted by mystyk at 11:35 AM on June 17, 2006


An inverse tachyon pulse routed through the forward deflector would have fixed it all...

<engage!>
posted by blue_beetle at 11:38 AM on June 17, 2006


chudmonkey: yes, i do, and i still disagree with your statement. just take a look around in the world and see how many people demand to let us know their views when other people are homosexual, have an abortion, believe in polygamy, prostitute, play violent video games, let their kids watch r rated movies.. i could go on and on. People have always cared what other people think/believe in... because when it is different, it is scary.
posted by matt_od at 11:42 AM on June 17, 2006


The United States Army Veterans' National Cemetary Administration honors veterans with final resting places in national shrines and with lasting tributes that commemorate their service to our nation.

Commemoration for some and not others.

Alexandros, Here is the list of federally approved religious symbols.

Interesting to compare the old symbols, pre-Iraq war and now, there are new symbols added, so there is a precedent for the Wicca symbol being added.

And the Army has already acknowledged soldiers who ascribe to the Wicca faith with its US Army Chaplains' Handbook: Excerpt On Wicca.

There is even a Pagan Military Network and a list of Pagan military groups.

The Wicca symbol:


There are other five pointed stars in the Army's list of okayed symbols, the Star of David and the Muslim star in the crescent.




The US Army approved Seicho-no-ie symbol has a swastika in the middle of it:



It certainly seems like the US Army should honor the First amendment rights of those dead soldiers of Wicca faith as others' faith or atheism have been honored.

As of 18 hours ago, 3 months after the US Army said they'd do something about this, nothing's happened yet.
posted by nickyskye at 11:44 AM on June 17, 2006


They also want all non-mainstream religious symbols discontinued permanently.

I say we start with the Mormons. Making people wear that damned silly underwear in the summer -- they should definitely pay for that.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 11:45 AM on June 17, 2006


athiest:


What!?
posted by delmoi at 11:51 AM on June 17, 2006


nickyskye writes "here are other five pointed stars in the Army's list of okayed symbols, the Star of David"

The Seal of Solomon -- aka Star of David -- does not, in fact, have five points.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 11:55 AM on June 17, 2006


delmoi writes "atheist:
"

"What!?"


Model of the atom, representing science.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 11:55 AM on June 17, 2006


"American Atheists chose the two-electron orbital symbol of helium. Helium, a product of hydrogen fusion, is present in the sun's atmosphere.

One of the symbolic whirls, however, is shown in the symbol as open-ended, or broken, to show that although Atheists rely on the scientific method for increase of knowledge, they know that all of the answers are not "in' as yet. That open whirl forms an A to represent Atheism, and the smaller letter in the center represents the first letter of any country in which an affiliated group is located. Ours signifies American Atheists."
posted by luftmensch at 11:59 AM on June 17, 2006


I know what it is, but I think it's a bit rediculous.
posted by delmoi at 11:59 AM on June 17, 2006


What would Agnes Moorehead say?
posted by mischief at 11:59 AM on June 17, 2006


(And what's so special about lithium? Are they suggesting all athiests are crazy and need brain medication!? :P)
posted by delmoi at 12:00 PM on June 17, 2006


What if I don't believe in atomic theory either?
posted by elwoodwiles at 12:00 PM on June 17, 2006


And the broken link at the bottom represents things left to learn. I'll leave what "A" stands for to your imagination.

The content of the religion is absolutly, 100% irrelevant.

Unless the content involves Thetans.
posted by absalom at 12:01 PM on June 17, 2006


absalom writes "Unless the content involves Thetans."

No, the content is still irrelevant.

The behaviour of adherents, however, is not.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 12:03 PM on June 17, 2006


nickyskye : "There are other five pointed stars in the Army's list of okayed symbols, the Star of David and the Muslim star in the crescent. "

dirtynumbangelboy : "The Seal of Solomon -- aka Star of David -- does not, in fact, have five points."

I parsed that sentence differently. More like "There are A, B, and C", not "There are A, examples of which are B and C". So, more like "There are a number of mammals on the average farm, chickens, and tractors", not "There are two sides of a coin, head and tails".
posted by Bugbread at 12:03 PM on June 17, 2006


"American Atheists chose the two-electron orbital symbol of helium. Helium, a product of hydrogen fusion, is present in the sun's atmosphere.

One of the symbolic whirls, however, is shown in the symbol as open-ended, or broken, to show that although Atheists rely on the scientific method for increase of knowledge, they know that all of the answers are not "in' as yet. That open whirl forms an A to represent Atheism, and the smaller letter in the center represents the first letter of any country in which an affiliated group is located. Ours signifies American Atheists."


Ah, I didn't see that before I posted. If there are three bands, then that makes it Lithium, not Helium. But that band is supposed to be only decorative.

Still a bit silly, like something thought up by 1960's sci-fi authors. Speaking of which, I didn't see scientology in the list. Heh.
posted by delmoi at 12:04 PM on June 17, 2006


absalom : "Unless the content involves Thetans."

Hadn't noticed, but indeed you're correct, there's no Scientology symbol in the list.
posted by Bugbread at 12:07 PM on June 17, 2006


I quite like the stylized He atom. But then again, I grew up on Golden Era spec fi.
posted by porpoise at 12:19 PM on June 17, 2006


If I were an atheist in the American army, I would convert to... well, anything else.

Damn, that's a lame symbol.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 12:30 PM on June 17, 2006


Listen, once you've let Soka Gakkai in the club, you've got to open the doors to all the other wacky religions, cults, sects and covens.

It's only fair.
posted by Fidel Cashflow at 12:40 PM on June 17, 2006


matt_od: is there a relationship between European Witchcraft as described in, say, Thinking with Demons, and modern practice of Wicca?

This is a total derail, of course: the fact that Wicca ticks me off doesn't mean governments shouldn't give its practicioners all the rights and responsibilities of other religious people. Let me just make that clear.
posted by Hildegarde at 1:12 PM on June 17, 2006


I don't get it--why are the emblems for Christian Scientist and Muslim not show here because of copyrights? What do they put on the headstone then?
posted by leftcoastbob at 1:13 PM on June 17, 2006


leftcoastbob : "What do they put on the headstone then?"

That is what they put on the headstone. "Not shown because of copyrights."
posted by Bugbread at 1:14 PM on June 17, 2006


Why are atheists stuck with an outdated planetary model of the atom?
posted by c13 at 1:22 PM on June 17, 2006


See, atheists should definitely have a big blank space where the emblems of belief would go. That's the whole point! We agnostics could get a "?" or a silhouette of some dude shrugging.
posted by furiousthought at 1:26 PM on June 17, 2006


bugbread, You're so right! I'm that mathematically challenged I couldn't count the 6 points on the Star of David correctly, LOL. Yikes. That's scary. :( My bad. Well, at least there are 5 points on the Muslim star, as in the Wicca pentangle.

This is a total derail, of course: the fact that Wicca ticks me off doesn't mean governments shouldn't give its practicioners all the rights and responsibilities of other religious people. Let me just make that clear

I don't think it is a derail. Like or believe the various faiths or non-faith or not, it's a First Amendment right and Wicca has already been acknowledged by the Army. So what's the US Army's beef now and why are they dragging their feet on this?
posted by nickyskye at 1:48 PM on June 17, 2006


nickyskye:

No, I'm wrong. I was parsing your sentence as having counted the points correctly. Dirtynumbangelboy was right.
posted by Bugbread at 1:59 PM on June 17, 2006


It's like that episode of star trek where the enterprise gets stuck repeating the same events over and over again; we had the exact conversation before and covered the exact same ground.
posted by Citizen Premier at 2:03 PM on June 17, 2006


That was a great episode, man. I need to watch more space channel, I miss those reruns.
posted by Hildegarde at 2:10 PM on June 17, 2006


I said *now smacking forehead with hand* There are other five pointed stars in the Army's list of okayed symbols, the Star of David and the Muslim star in the crescent.

bugbread, I was wrong. I agree with you, dirtynumbangelboy is right.
posted by nickyskye at 2:13 PM on June 17, 2006


nickyskye: So what's the US Army's beef now and why are they dragging their feet on this?

I've heard lots of stories from long-term Army members that suggest that the Army functions in spite of its huge and complicated bureaucracy.

This issue is actually handled by the Department of Veterans Affairs which provides services for veterans of all Armed Forces and WWII Merchant Marines as well.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 2:18 PM on June 17, 2006


CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST (Cross & Crown) Not shown because of copyrights.
MUSLIM (Islamic 5 Pointed Star) Not shown because of copyrights.


Way to spread the Good News...
posted by Meatbomb at 2:20 PM on June 17, 2006


Citizen Premier : "we had the exact conversation before and covered the exact same ground."

C'mon, you've been here for over a year, you know the score: That's what Metafilter does.
posted by Bugbread at 2:31 PM on June 17, 2006


KirkJobSluder , Good call. In Googling who the Dept. of Veteran Affairs works under: the Department of Military Affairs oversees all activities of the Army and Air National Guard, Disaster and Emergency Services Division, and provides administrative support to the Veterans Affairs Division, which is administratively attached to the department.
posted by nickyskye at 2:46 PM on June 17, 2006


nickyskye, that's Montana's state-level agency. Hence the mt.gov, and the various mentions of Montana on the front page.

The United States VA is a cabinet-level agency whose head reports, AFAIK, to the President.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 3:27 PM on June 17, 2006


"I can't see any way in which their beliefs are 'dumber' than those of more mainstream religions."

borkingchikapa didn't say they were dumber. He said "Their beliefs are still dumb, though", which is perfectly valid - regardless of what matt_od thinks.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 3:35 PM on June 17, 2006


ROU_Xenophobe, You're right. arg. My sloppy and impatient research AND blind as a bat. I simply couldn't find the info after multiple searches and grabbed the first info that came up. Again, my bad. More forehead smacking, that isn't apparently helping, lol. Thank you for clarifying.

Time for some tea and a Saturday afternoon catnap. :)
posted by nickyskye at 4:23 PM on June 17, 2006


The U.S. Army posthumously awarded Sgt. Stewart this five-pointed star:

It should fill up the blank space.
posted by cenoxo at 7:24 PM on June 17, 2006


Oh, screw Wicca. The military better start letting people put the symbol of the Flying Spaghetti Monster wherever they feel appropriate.

heh.
posted by drstein at 7:40 PM on June 17, 2006


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