Friday, June 23, 2006

What Do You Want On Your Tombstone

I have an idea that may be controversial, and it may even seem unpatriotic, but if so, so be it. It is based on recent events involving the widow of one Patrick D. Steward, formerly of Nebraska, who was killed last year, on September 25, in Afghanistan, by a rocket propelled grenade. Stewart, a Sergeant, was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and the Pruple Heart.

Yet, his widow, Roberta, has run into a problem with the Pentagon. They have refused to honor his and his widows wishes to put on his grave at Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetary, a pentacle, a symbol of his Wiccan faith. As of now, the widow has refused to allow the erection of even a temporary marker.

She has objected to the Pentagons politices to no avail though she has received support, both from the Americans United For The Seperation of Church And State, and from Christianity Today magazine. It has been turned into a politcal issue at the behest of Bush, who has gone on record as oppossing the recognition of Wicca as a legitimate religion, and by the typical hordes of right wing conservative religious fanatics who for now make up arguably the most influential base of the Republican Party (at least they are influential to Bush, and the Neo-Cons that surround him, when it is convenient for the latter-usually and especially around election time).

My response is simple, straightforward, and to the point. Any Wiccan or Pagan or military age should henceforth refuse to volunteer for military service. If they are already in the military, they should leave when their time of enlistment expires. In the meantime, it would be helpful if a substantial number of them could get together and issue a press release to the effect that all Wiccans and Pagans will be discouraged from joining any branch of the armed services until this issue is addressed, and decided completley in our favor. No compromises.

In the meantime, all Pagans and Wiccans who are parents of military age sons and daughters should issue a similar statement to the effect that, again, until this issue is resoved satisfacotrily, to us, they will strongly discourage any of their sons or daughters from joining any branch of the US military.

It may do precpous little good, but it will still make a statement on behalf of the substantial number of Pagans who have served, who are currently serving, and who have, like Sergeant Stewart, given their lives in the service of their country. If we’re good enough to risk life and limb to serve, then the least we can get in return is to have our basic constitutional rights, including Freedom of Religion, respected. If we can’t get that much, you can all-well, go to hell.

The original story on BeliefNet.com can be found in the link at the post title.

10 comments:

Frank Partisan said...

Two words; I agree.

autogato said...

Okay. That's stupid. Freedom of religion - as long as it's a religion that we approve of?

ARG!!!!!

In order to avert this little problem (of determining what symbols are and aren't allowable), our director has said that no one can wear religious symbols to the clinic. Instead of allowing all religious symbols, we get none.

Which, by the way, is illegal.

Rufus said...

I wonder if the pandering will ever end. There are plenty of people in the US who believe that if you're a Christian you vote Republican. So, I can understand why they feel they have to pander. But, must it always be at the expense of somebody else?

SecondComingOfBast said...

The pandering is only getting worse, now the Democratic Party is trying to pander to Christians as well. Not that I have anything against the religous rights of Christians, I think their religous liberties should be respected as well. But other religions should be equally respected.

autogato said...

Amen. If there is to be freedom of religion, then there needs to be freedom of religionS. (Unless, of course, your religion violates some law. You know, you can't go around arguing that you should be exempt from jail because your religion says its okay to murder people or molest kids or something). Other than that, though, freedom of religionS.

SecondComingOfBast said...

Naturally, I would be the last person to suggest a religion should be exempt from obeying any reasoable law. At the same time, exceptions can be made in certain respects, for religous observances such as, for example, the use of certain drugs, such as peyote, or marijuana, if it can be demonstrated that the use of such substances is a bona fide part of the religous ritual, not the religous ritual is an excuse to take drugs.

By the same token, if somebody partakes of a drug in the context of a religous ritual, and then goes out and commits some crime while under the influence, they shouldn't be excused for it on the grounds that they had gotten high as part of a ritual.

Lemuel Calhoon said...

"Naturally, I would be the last person to suggest a religion should be exempt from obeying any reasoable law."

My lord Quetzalcoatl will eat your heart!

SecondComingOfBast said...

Ahh, but Lem, you have to beat me at a rousing game of soccer first.

autogato said...

Good point.

And I figured that you would have had something to say about my sex education manifesto.

Tsk tsk.

SecondComingOfBast said...

Yeahhhh baby, where do I sign up, I could use a refresher course.