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Sacred Flame of Brigid
of Healing & Support

for Rev. Patrick McCollum and Pagan Religious Freedom

* * * October 10, 2010 Update * * *

Please send blessings of healing, strength, protection, and support to Circle Sanctuary Minister Patrick McCollum.

His quest for equal rights for Pagans in his federal court case involving prison chaplaincy and the California Department of Corrections has moved to a new phase. Furthermore, Lady Liberty League has received reports that in addition to Patrick being denied access to do Pagan ministry support for certain inmates, Pagan ministers from other traditions and organizations are also being denied.

Please send blessings of support to Patrick and to those working with him on his case before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. On January 27, 2010, an opposing amicus brief was filed by the conservative National Legal Foundation, whose mission includes "Creatively using the legal system to undo the damage of those who have called good 'evil' and evil 'good". This brief claims, among other things, that:

In addition to the statements pointed out previously, Amici Interfaith Community Representatives spend ten pages of their Brief explaining why witchcraft and paganism are religions. The problem is that everything they write explains why witchcraft and paganism are religions as the term is currently used in non-legal circles; nothing they write addresses whether witchcraft and paganism are religions as that word was used by the Framers in drafting the Religion Clauses. Thus, Amici can quote all the Founders they want for the proposition that various religions and faiths must be treated neutrally, but they will have accomplished nothing unless they demonstrate that paganism and witchcraft were included within the word 'religion' as used in the Religion Clauses. This they have not done and cannot do.


In a statement provided to the Wild Hunt Blog, McCollum pointed out that:

During the course of the case, the CDCR, other related defendants, and the Assistant Attorneys General who represents them have argued before the court that Pagans are not deserving of equal civil rights as are provided adherents of the preferred faiths. In one of their first arguments to the court, the defendants said that certain "traditional" faiths are first tier faiths and that those faiths were meant to have equal rights and protections under the United States Constitution, but that all of the other faiths, for example, Hindus, Pagans, Buddhists, Sikhs, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jains, are second tier faiths deserving of lesser rights, and therefore are not meant to have the same equal rights and protections under the United States Constitution as the first tier faiths.


Do you believe your faith is a 'second tier' faith?

WHAT YOU CAN DO:


1) LEARN about the case:


2) WRITE to the relevant elected officials:

California Attorney General Jerry Brown
California Governor Arnold Schwartzenegger
California Dept. of Corrections Secretary Matthew Cate


3) SEND SUPPORT:

Patrick is a priest of Brigid. Please reflect on the Sacred Flame image above, and send him energies of support and transformation.

CLICK HERE to see expressions of support by others.