Lawsuit By Wiccans Allowed to Proceed
MADISON, Wis. -- A federal lawsuit filed by Wiccans against the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will proceed despite a request by the VA that it be put on hold for perhaps as much as a year.
The lawsuit, filed in November, accuses the VA of coming up with "excuse after excuse" for more than nine years for not putting the Wiccan symbol on grave markers of veterans who were members of that religion. The department does not allow Wiccan religious symbols on veterans' headstones in national cemeteries.
Note, gentle reader, the title of that article. Not "Religious Dispute Over Military Gravemarkers Continues" or some such. No, no, that would be too reasonable.
For Gods and Country: The Army Chaplain Who Wanted to Switch to Wicca? Transfer Denied.
On July 6, he applied to become the first Wiccan chaplain in the U.S. armed forces, setting off an extraordinary chain of events. By year's end, his superiors not only denied his request but also withdrew him from Iraq and removed him from the chaplain corps, despite an unblemished service record.
What happened to freedom of religion? Did the Army just tell this man what religion he's allowed to practice?
Feeling pressured to conform, anyone? You should.
Teacher Sues, Blaming Witchcraft Suspicions for Firing
Brewing accusations of witchcraft are expected to bubble over during a federal trial scheduled to open this week on Long Island, N.Y., where a former elementary school teacher is suing the district for $2 million.
In 2001, Lauren Berrios filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Central Islip saying she was fired because co-workers wrongly believed she was a witch. Berrios is Jewish and said the witchcraft rumors surfaced because she turned down invitations to attend Christian services.
She turned down invitations to attend Christian services. Well, shit, neighbor, maybe she just don't like your church much. Maybe she's Lutheran.
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