BLACKCAT'S SPECULUM

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by BlackCat

Wiccans Face Community Protest in Alabama

The successful incorporation as a nonprofit religious organization of a Wiccan group, "The Covenant of the Sacred Circle," was met with local protests calling them Satanic. In the town of Peel, near Birmingham, Alabama, a group of about 30 people held signs that read "Get the devil worshippers out of the community" outside a residential home where the group meets.

It was reported that the local television news also covered the story and used images such as inverted pentagrams not associated with Wicca in the broadcasts.

Robert Hamilton, the group's facilitator, defended members by pointing out that their beliefs have nothing to do the Christian devil and also that they "have just as much of a right to practice [Wiccan] religion as any other group: religion is a personal thing." He further detailed that the Covenant of the Sacred Circle held open meetings at the local "Books A Million" to help educate people about the belief system, while maintaining religious rituals for members only.

Witches Still Work Magick in North Carolina

The Appalachian Pagan Alliance has asked the Buncombe County School district in Asheville, North Carolina, for permission to hold an interfaith pagan gathering at Reynolds High School's football stadium in response to a recent Christian prayer rally.

The "We Still Work Magic[k]" gathering is planned for the Autumnal Equinox. The group is preparing a ritual asking for acceptance and a call for the Earth to be healed.

Several thousand reportedly attended the "We Still Pray" event sponsored by a group formed after the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling earlier this year reaffirming a decision that prayer in public schools be done privately by individual students. The We Still Pray group is encouraging its members to "spontaneously" break into the Lord's Prayer immediately following the singing of the National Anthem.

The Appalachian Pagan Alliance group leader, Ginger Strivelli, sent letters to the school system requesting use of the property. "It was a spur of the moment thing. But I couldn't believe it when I saw they held the [We Still Pray] rally there," she said. "But if they open it up to one group, they have to open it up to every group."

The school district is responding to the request per its seven-page policy, and has pledged to follow the policy for the pagan group the same as the Christian group.

WARD Against Football Prayer

Concerned advocate of religious freedom for pagans, Darla Wynne, the assistant national director of Witches Against Religious Discrimination (WARD), has expressed concern about public Christian prayer at school sporting events.

A local Christian association has devised a plan to pray at high school football games after the singing of the national anthem. This is in response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that student-led prayers are unconstitutional.

According to Darla of WARD, "If I went there and started doing a ritual, I would probably be arrested. The law is for all people." She contacted the local school authorities in her area to express her concern and is thinking of monitoring the games to see if the prayer may constitute a public disturbance. At the least, she may request a refund of her admission price. "People didn't pay to go to church," she said, "People paid to go to a football game."

According to Roger Lindler, pastor of a [Christian] Lutheran church, the prayer would not constitute a disturbance. "It takes approximately 30 seconds to pray the Lord's Prayer," he said. According to Lindler, the Christians are not attempting to sidestep the legal separation of church and state. "Our intention is to exercise our right to honor and praise God," he said. "If she [Darla Wynne] wants to pray to her pagan God and Goddess, she is free to do so."

Local school board officials are reportedly taking a neutral position.

Church Backs Priestess After Sex Conviction Unearthed

After founding the South Carolina Church of Wicca in 1998 and leading it for two years, Janet Lynn Hawkins is fighting to clear her name from a prior conviction of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor.

Church members have come forward to support her. According to one member, "Janet had discussed stepping down. We are supporting her and have asked her not to step down."

In 1994, Janet worked as a school psychologist. Her own psychotherapist, Joanne Smith, had reported her as required by law to the Department of Social Services because she believed that Janet had had sexual contact with a student. Janet denied this allegation and testified that Smith had misconstrued her statements when she spoke of her own experiences as a child rather than her work at the school.

At first, authorities did not file charges because when both Janet and the boy were interviewed, they both denied any sexual contact. On a subsequent interview with the boy, however, he allegedly claimed sexual contact, and Janet was arrested.

Janet further denied any such contact; she did state that the boy had developed a romantic attachment to her and had once kissed her. She reported the kiss to her supervisor at the time.

Janet was convicted and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, suspended to three years with five years probation. She was released after serving a year and a half.

She has appealed the conviction, in part on the grounds that testimony about her pagan beliefs was prejudicial. But the appeal was denied, and she is currently in the process of another appeal. According to Janet's husband and fellow church member, "We've got to clear her name. It's just destroyed her." According to him, "One of the things that helped convict her was her belief in witchcraft. It is literally a witch hunt."

Several members of Janet's church just learned of the prior conviction and are expressing concern that it will hurt the community at large. Original members of the church knew of Janet's history and advised her that it was not relevant to them. So as new members joined, they were not told.

The church works with Animal Allies, an animal protective group, as well as the local Adopt-A-Highway program and various charitable organizations.

Denver Police Cause Scene at Local Pagan Shops

Owners of three shops along Denver's Colfax Avenue said they were blindsided when undercover police officers stormed into their stores over the past few weeks demanding to know if anyone was practicing fortune telling, clairvoyance or palmistry. Denver has a city ordinance against these acts.

"They came in and said, "Do you have anyone here who does palmistry, fortune telling or clairvoyance?" said Michael West, owner of local store Spiritways. "We said we didn't. They were hostile and said, "Well, many shops like this do, and it's against the law and we're going to put people in jail if we catch them doing it."

According to a police spokesman, the Denver police had received a complaint of fortune telling in the area. The officers took a copy of the ordinance to the location and as there weren't any law violations, they left and that was it.

This type of ordinance is generally in place to protect ignorant people from scam artists. The Denver ordinance specifies the action must be in exchange for money and not in a religious context, as defined by IRS religious definition. Similar ordinances were struck down in other cities as an infringement of free speech.

According to Michael of Spiritways, "There's been a huge customer outcry over this. It's seen as an infringement on freedom of religion. People want to be able to do what they want." According to Pam Collins, owner of Herbs & Arts, also on Colfax Avenue, she too was surprised by police entering her store, making inquiries about fortune telling. "They were vague, and they weren't specific about what the problems were. There certainly are rip-offs all over the world, but you usually don't find them in storefronts right here on Colfax." She asked if the police had received any complaints about her store, and the police answered that they had not.

Republican Hopefuls Plan to Rescind National Monuments

Dick Cheney, Republican vice-presidential candidate, stated that some of the new national monuments created by President Clinton could be reviewed and rescinded if he and George W. Bush are elected in November.

"Of course it's not my decision to make. It's the president-elect who has to make the decision," Cheney said. "But I certainly expect we would review a lot of these decisions to see whether or not any action was appropriate."

According to Cheney, many fear the creating of monument after monument could harm the Western United States' economy by removing land from commercial uses such as grazing, logging and mining.

During his time in office, Clinton has created or added to 10 national monuments covering nearly four million Western acres in his effort to carve out an environmental legacy.

Prehistoric Revelations

German researchers have unearthed the remains of a huge prehistoric temple comparable to but earlier than England's Stonehenge.

The early Bronze Age temple was discovered near Kyhna in the Eastern part of Germany and is believed to have been built around 5000 B.C., making it about 2000 years older than Stonehenge. The site is laid out in precise alignment with the rays of the sun at the summer solstice.

Scottish researchers have reported a most unexpected find. Archaeologists working on a remote Scottish island revealed they have discovered a Stone Age tomb. The well-preserved tomb is approximately 5000 years old and was discovered on the Orkney island of Westray.

In Sweden, the site of the oldest known pre-Christian temple was opened for public viewing. The pentagon-shaped building excavated near a known burial site at Vasterhaninge, 18 miles south of Stockholm, is believed to date back to the early Iron Age in Sweden.

Sources for this Speculum include: The Witches Voice, Alternative Religions Education Network (AREN), Witches Against Religious Discrimination (WARD), The Asheville Citizen Times, The Scotsman Online and Yahoo News.

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