From: Lady Boudicca, Elder, Church of Dynion Mwyn, Inc. The Bush Administration Agrees To Approve Wiccan Pentacle For Veteran Memorials ... Monday, April 23, 2007 (1)Settlement In Americans United Lawsuit Comes After Discovery Of A Pattern Of Bias Against Minority Faith The Bush administration has conceded that Wiccans are entitled to have the pentacle, the symbol of their faith, inscribed on government-issued memorial markers for deceased veterans, Americans United for Separation of Church and State announced today. The settlement agreement, filed today with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, brings to a successful conclusion a lawsuit Americans United brought against the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in November. The litigation charged that denying a pentacle to deceased Wiccan service personnel, while granting religious symbols to those of other traditions, violated the U.S. Constitution. "This settlement has forced the Bush Administration into acknowledging that there are no second class religions in America, including among our nation's veterans," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director. "It is a proud day for religious freedom in the United States." Continued Lynn, "Sadly, the refusal of the federal government to recognize the Wiccan pentacle seems to have been built on inexcusable bias, a foundation that has crumbled under the press of this litigation." In the lawsuit, Americans United represented Roberta Stewart, whose husband, Sgt. Patrick Stewart, was killed in combat in Afghanistan in 2005; Karen DePolito, whose husband, Jerome Birnbaum, is a veteran of the Korean War who died last year; Circle Sanctuary, a prominent Wiccan congregation; Jill Medicine Heart Combs, whose husband is severely ill; and the Isis Invicta Military Mission, a Wiccan and Pagan congregation serving military personnel. The litigation was coordinated by Richard B. Katskee, AU assistant legal director with oversight by Ayesha N. Khan, AU legal director. They were assisted by other attorneys in the office, including Aram Schvey, AU litigation counsel. Americans United's attorneys uncovered evidence that the VA's refusal to recognize the Pentacle was motivated by bias toward the Wiccan faith. President George W. Bush, when he was governor of Texas, had opposed the right of Wiccans to meet at a military base in that state. Bush's opinion of Wiccans was taken into consideration when making decisions on whether to approve the Pentacle. "Many people have asked me why the federal government was so stubborn about recognizing the Wiccan symbol," said AU's Lynn. "I did not want to believe that bias toward Wiccans was the reason, but that appears to have been the case. That's discouraging, but I'm pleased we were able to put a stop to it." AU's Khan welcomed the settlement. "It is rank hypocrisy for this administration to claim publicly that it cares about religious freedom and equality but then to quietly and deliberately discriminate against a minority faith like Wicca," she said. "Until now, this administration's view has been that Wiccans are good enough to fight for their country, but not good enough to be acknowledged with a proper headstone." Under the terms of the *Circle Sanctuary v. Nicholson* settlement, the federal government will recognize the right of Wiccans to have the pentacle made available as an emblem of belief for inscription on headstones, grave markers and memorial plaques. The VA will add the symbol to its list of available emblems of belief. In addition, the VA will make markers bearing the pentacle - an encircled, intertwined five-pointed star - available to the families of Stewart, Birnbaum and others who request them. AU noted that the VA's list of 38 approved symbols for government gravestones, markers and plaques includes emblems for Christians, Muslims, Atheists, Hindus, Humanists and members of the Eckankar, Serbian Orthodox and United Moravian faiths. A Wiccan group first petitioned the VA for approval of the pentacle years ago. Officials at the agency dragged their feet on the request but in the interim approved the symbols of six other religions and belief systems. Among them was a Sikh emblem, which the VA approved in just a few weeks. Wicca is a nature-based religion grounded in pre-Christian beliefs. Circle Sanctuary says the Wiccan religion honors the Divine as both Mother and Father, encompasses love and respect of Nature, celebrates the cycles of Sun and Moon, and encourages adherents to live in harmony with other humans and the greater Circle of Life. (2)
Veteran Pentacle Quest National Press Conference Posted by: "Jerrie Hildebrand" kishhilde@earthlink.net keishahil Mon Apr 23, 2007 7:05 am (PST) On Monday morning, April 23,2007 Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) will hold a national press conference in Washington, DC announcing a major development in its lawsuit against the US Department of Veterans Affairs for barring the inscription of the Wiccan religious symbol on government-issued memorial markers for deceased veterans.
For more information about the case:
http://www.circlesanctuary.org/liberty/veteranpentacle
http://www.au.org/pentacle Speakers at the event will be AU Executive Director Barry Lynn, AU attorney Richard Katskee and plaintiffs Roberta Stewart and the Rev. Selena Fox, representing Circle Sanctuary, one of America's oldest and largest Wiccan churches The Pentacle Quest is Over ************************************************************************ (3) Posted by: "Jerrie Hildebrand" kishhilde@earthlink.net keishahil Mon Apr 23, 2007 8:43 am (PST) I am pleased to send this to all of you. Many blessings on a great team effort.
Regards, Jerrie Hildebrand
Managing Director
Lady Liberty League Wiccans will be allowed to place pentacles on graves, VA says Associated Press
Last update: April 23, 2007 - 9:28 AM http://www.startribune.com/484/story/1138325.htmlNation Wiccans will be allowed to place pentacles on graves, VA says MADISON, Wis. - Wiccans will be allowed to have the symbol of their religion placed on grave markers in national cemeteries under a lawsuit settlement with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
announced Monday. The settlement calls for the Wiccans' pentacle, a five-pointed star representing earth, air, fire, water and spirit to be placed on grave markers within 14 days for those who have pending requests with the VA. There are 11 families nationwide that are waiting for grave markers with the pentacle, said Selena Fox, a Wiccan high priestess with Circle Sanctuary in Barneveld, Wis., and a party to the lawsuit. "I am glad this has ended in success in time to get markers for Memorial Day,'' she said. The agreement settles a lawsuit filed in November by veterans' widows and others alleging that the VA has stalled for more than nine years in recognizing the pentacle. The case, which will be dismissed under the settlement, was scheduled to go to trial in June in federal court in Madison.
The pentacle joins 38 religious symbols the VA already permits on gravestones. They include commonly recognized symbols for Christianity, Buddhism, Islam and Judaism, as well as those for
smaller religions such as Sufism Reoriented, Eckiankar and the Japanese faith Seicho-No-Ie. The pentacle was already listed as an acceptable symbol Monday morning on the VA's Web site. "This settlement has forced the Bush Administration into acknowledging that there are no second class religions in America, including among our nation's veterans,'' said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn,
director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which brought the lawsuit on behalf of the Wiccans. "It is a proud day for religious freedom in the United States.'' The VA sought the settlement in the interest of the families involved and to save taxpayers the expense of further litigation, VA spokesman Matt Burns said. Under the settlement, the VA agreed to pay $225,000 in attorneys' fees and costs. The government also agreed to settle when it became clear the Wiccans' application to have the pentacle recognized would be "favorably considered'' under new rules the VA was working on,
Burns said. A nature-based religion, the Wiccan faith is founded on respect for the earth, nature and the cycle of the seasons. Wiccans have argued that the pentacle has gotten a bad reputation because people don't
understand the religion or its imagery. Variations of the pentacle not accepted by the religion have been used in horror movies as a sign of the devil. The lawsuit argued that the VA's refusal to act on requests to permit the symbol on veterans' grave markers violated Wiccans' constitutional rights of freedom of speech, religion and due process. The lawsuit also said it made no sense for Wiccan symbols to be banned from grave markers when Wiccan soldiers can list their faith on dog tags, Wiccan organizations are allowed to hold services on
military installations, and the Army Chaplains Handbook includes an explanation of the religion. The lawsuit was filed by Circle Sanctuary, Isis Invicta Military Mission, a Wiccan and Pagan congregation serving military personnel based in Geyserville, Calif., Jill Medicine Heart Combs, whose
husband is severely ill, and two widows of Wiccans - Roberta Stewart of Nevada and Karen DePolito of Utah. Bush Administration Settles VA Pentacle Lawsuit - Pentacle ALLOWED | 
