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as found on: http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usmi&c=words&id=11305 Democrats Take Congress: What Does the News Mean for the Pagan Community? Author: Emrys Posted: November 12th. 2006 Times Viewed: 1,886 On November 7th, Americans all across the nation exercised their constitutional right to vote, and this ushered in a resounding change for our nation. According to CNN, the Cable News Network, control of the nation has shifted hue from red to blue, with the current numbers being 228 Democrats in the House, and 50 in the Senate, which includes two independents, who are caucusing with the Democratic Party. This year counted as my first election, having just turned 18 a few weeks ago. I made sure to vote carefully, taking special care to vote the issues, not the parties. I voted mostly blue, but that’s not to say I’m a partisan player. I realize that for anything to get done in Congress, we need a balanced legislature. However, I also realize that The Democratic Party is more sympathetic to Pagan religions, whereas the Republicans have been, up to this point, deeply influenced by the "religious right". The main Pagan issue in front of the nation is the Pagan and Wiccan presence in the military and our Pagan and Wiccan veterans. Although the issue may be considered a minor one in front of the more “pressing” issues of the Iraqi war, social security, or the economy, many of the Pagans serving in the Armed Forces, including myself, are very concerned with issues of our equal treatment. The issues seem few, but are very deep rooted in the hearts of our military Pagans and their families. One big issue facing our active duty Pagans is a lack of Pagan Chaplains. According to the Military Pagan Network estimates, there are currently over 4, 300 Pagans serving in our military, with over 2000 of these being Wiccan [http;//www.milpagan.org/media/statistics.html]. According to Stars and Stripes, a government newspaper, in 2005 there were 1, 800 active duty Wiccans. Also, according to an Air Force survey conducted in 2004, Wicca is the third largest non-Christian religion in the total force. This falls just behind Judaism and Buddhism, both groups that have their own chaplains. In fact, the number of Wiccans in the Air Force surpasses the number of Muslims, who also have their own chaplains. The question is, and has been, ” Where are ours?” Of course, our government has been very helpful in this. In June 1999, while he was still governor of Texas, George W. Bush stated, ” I don't think that witchcraft is a religion. I wish the military would rethink this decision." Around that same time, Rep. Bob Barr of Georgia called for the military to deny religious freedom to Pagans in the military. Mind you, this is not necessarily a sentiment shard through all of congress and the nation, but rests on the shoulders of a few individuals. The second big issue facing the Pagan community is the government’s seeming lack of concern for the wishes of our veterans. For a few years now there have been a growing number of Pagans and Wiccans either passing of old age or coming home deceased due to a bloody war in Iraq. To show these heroes’s respect, their families have wished them to be buried in national cemeteries. However, when the issue of a grave marker comes up, the Department of Veteran’s Affairs will not allow Pagan emblems. This is interesting, seeing as the VA acknowledges and allows many various “emblems of faith”, including ones for atheists. But not for Pagans. Now, you may be a little restless, wondering if I am going to get to the point. Yes, I am; right now. With a more Democratic control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, maybe, if all of us work together to push these issues on our legislature, we can resolve them. I will be the first to acknowledge that this is a long shot, and will not be easy by any means. I also know we will not all agree. Yet we do owe it to the Pagans and Wiccans in uniform who are willing to die for the rights that should already be guaranteed to us. I’ve written my legislators- have you? We now have an opportunity to evoke change, just as we always did. In my opinion, the Pagan people have been slow to unite and even slower to act. For those of the Wiccan faith, the Lord and Lady gave us magick to create needed change. Our forefathers gave us the constitution and the ability to vote, for which hundreds of thousands of young men and women have died and are continuing to die for. We have the opportunity to change the world we live in, if only just a little. Please, even if the issues don’t affect you personally, remember that it may affect a friend or a relative. This may not happen now, but maybe in the future. We owe it to our dead, to ourselves, and to the future generations of Pagans and Wiccans to come. As I said before, I have written my senator, Carl Levin, about the VA emblem issue. I was quite surprised when Senator Levi wrote back, assuring me he would’” Keep my thoughts in mind should this issue come before the Senate.” (In case you are wondering how I know my senator actually looked at my letter, I noticed that the signature was in real ink, and not printed off the computer.) So see, they will listen; we just have to talk. Here are the some addresses for Congress. I hope you can help us. http://www.congress.org~ use this site to e-mail your representatives. Senator__________ U.S. Senate Washington, D.C. 20515 Representative ___________ U.S, House of Representatives Washington D.C. 20515 To write to the president: President George W. Bush The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 ~Emrys. You may e-mail comments to montanus1122@yahoo.com. I ask however those of you do choose to respond, please make sure to use proper grammar. I do look forward to criticism as well as words of support. And for those of you who wonder, I am a recent enlistee in the United States Air Force.
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