Spring 1999 Lady Liberty League Report Published in CIRCLE Magazine Yule Rite Stopped by Police Massachusetts Pagan Stores Harassed ATC Update 1998 Halloween Media Bible Distributed in Canadian Schools WLPA Action Religious Status of Paganism in the UK Ohio Pagan Confederation Founded Military Pagan Network Job Discrimination Help Requested Use this list to link directly to the article you wish to read, or simply scroll down for all articles Yule Rite Stopped by Police Police interrupted and stopped a December 21, 1998, Wiccan Winter Solstice celebration being held on a public beach on Staten Island, New York. Near the climax of the ritual, up to 20 police officers entered the scene and put out the bonfire. They commandeered the Pagan group's bus, which they used to transport 33 members of the group to the police station where they were charged with trespassing in a closed park after dark and issued summonses. Donna Henes, the event's coordinator, has organized similar Winter Solstice celebrations at the same and different locations for the past 24 years without incident. Although previous celebrations at the same beach were generally ignored by the police, this year's bonfire captured their attention. Police claim the fire was 12 feet high and hazardous. They also said that, even if the group had applied for a permit to use the beach, it would have been denied because of the threat to the nearby boardwalk. Event participants countered that the fire was small and controlled. Norman Siegl, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, was quoted in the December 23, 1998, issue of The New York Times as saying that "What the city should be doing is accommodating these diverse religious, cultural and political events," and asked the city to drop all charges. In a court appearance on January 26, 1999, all charges were dismissed by the judge, according to the Associated Press. Explaining his decision, Judge Michael Brennan said, "There are some occasions and situations where it is appropriate for the government to step back and allow special things to happen. Commemoration of this occasion for religious, historical, or educational purposes is to be commended, not sanctioned." Massachusetts Pagan Stores Harassed In the state where the current Governor's successful political campaign included a derogatory ad against Witches, some Massachusetts Pagans continue to experience discrimination. Four Pagan stores in the Pioneer Valley area of Massachusetts recently received a threatening, anti-Pagan letter from an anonymous source. In response to this religious harassment, store owners Emilie True and Karin Muller of the Magic Circle and the End of Desire in Northampton, Massachusetts, and Lynn and Laurie at Needful Things in Springfield, Massachusetts, organized a magical working that included plans for a peaceful Pagan vigil. The vigil, organized to occur on January 15 with the support of the Pagan community, unfortunately had to be canceled due to severe Winter weather. Discussion continues among the community as to further plans to respond to the harassment. Muller is interested in hearing from other Pagans as to how they have handled these types of situations, and in receiving letters of support or blessing at: Magic Circle, 12 Main Street, Northampton, MA 01060.  ATC Update As previously reported in Lady Liberty League, the outside sanctuary of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church (ATC) was vandalized and desecrated in 1997. Due to the confessed perpetrator's questionable competency, the county prosecutor originally refused to prosecute. After 15 months of pressure from Pete Pathfinder Davis, Archpriest of the legally recognized Wiccan church, ATC's attorney, and letters of protest written to the prosecutor, the perpetrator was finally charged. She did not show up for her arraignment, however, and a bench warrant was issued for her arrest. Davis does not currently hold much hope that she will be brought to trial, as she was a transient, and local rumor has it that she has been institutionalized. Davis notes, however, that the Sanctuary hast been refurbished and is now more vandal proof. The broken statues have been replaced with a Diana and Pan statue, weighing around 350 lbs. each, and set on pedestals attached to concrete foundations in the ground. Situations with nearby community members have also changed, with unsympathetic neighbors moving away and ATC members being in better position to keep a watchful eye on the Sanctuary. Davis sums it up with, "Everything works out for the best, especially when the Goddess is directing your life." Contact: ATC, PO Box 409, Index, WA 98256; ATC@AquaTabCh.org 1998 Halloween Media The Halloween season produced another flurry of media stories about Witches, Wicca, and Paganism. More and more stories at this time of the year are avoiding sensationalism and providing positive stories about the Wiccan religion and Samhain celebrations. Mention of many of these positive articles is included in the "Pagan World News" section of this issue. A large amount of negative, uninformed, and incorrect information, however, is also still being printed about Wicca and Samhain during the Halloween season. One letter in response to this misinformation about Samhain was written by Wiccan priest Ronald Stuart of New York City and appeared on the Internet in The Citizen Online on November 4, 1998. Stuart correctly explained that Samhain is not the name of a Pagan god, but is rather a Gaelic word meaning "end of Summer." He commented that, "Samhain can be a time of uneasiness for most Witches. We are haunted every year, not by 'Samhain, lord of the dead,' or a devil figure, but by the 'ghoulish frolic' of bigotry." He pointed out that each year misguided people "use the Christian religion to spread the disease of bigoted hatred" by attacking Witches. Other Pagans also decided to combat negative Halloween publicity by writing letters to the editors of their local papers that offered the public correct information about Wicca and our holiday celebrations. Bible Distributed in Canadian Schools A family in Abbotsford, British Columbia (BC), Canada are battling for religious freedom in their son's school. Samuel Wagar, a Wiccan priest, was shocked when his 10 year old son came home from school with a permission slip to receive a free Bible. In a delegation to the school board on November 2, 1998, Wagar stated that, "We are not Christians and our right to determine the religious education of our children was directly violated by this act." He further pointed out that distribution of religious material in school violates the province's Schools Act law, which is over 100 years old. Sections 76(1) and (2) of the Schools Act state that: all schools and Provincial schools must be conducted on strictly secular and non-sectarian principles, and   the highest morality must be inculcated, but no religious dogma or creed is to be taught in a school or Provincial school.  After making complaints through all possible channels up to the School Board level and receiving no satisfaction, the Wagar family is still attempting gentle persuasion, but is also planning a court case to force the school board to change its policies if necessary. Wagar is encouraged that his case could be won by a recent court case in a nearby district that supported a secular school system by upholding a teacher's right to use textbooks that portrayed same sex couples. Currently, the Christian Gideon Society distributes Bibles to fifth graders in some school districts in the province, during school hours, after obtaining parental permission. The local regional association of the Green Party is supporting Wagar in his court fight and is administering the "Secular Schools Defense Fund." Donations earmarked for this fund and payable to the Green Party of Canada can be sent to: 32579 Oriole Crescent, Abbotsford, BC, V2T 4C7, Canada. Donations are tax deductible in Canada. For more information about the case or to send letters of blessing or support, contact Sam Wagar at: PO Box 2205, Clearbrook, BC V2T 3X8. swagar@home.com. WLPA Action Witches League for Public Awareness (WLPA)  http://www.celticcrow.com For more information, contact them at: celtic@ici.net; PO Box 909, Rehoboth, MA 02769. Religious Status of Paganism in the UK As previously reported in LLL, the status of Paganism as a legally recognized religion in the United Kingdom was debated in 1996 by the Charity Commission (CC). Charitable status was consequently taken away from two existing Pagan organizations and refused to the newly applying Pagan Federation (PF). This happened on the basis that Paganism was not a "sufficiently definite linguistic term," and, therefore, Paganism could not be a religion, and Pagan organizations could not obtain charitable status as religions. In spite of this, Belinda Winder of the Pagan Federation has informed us that efforst to gain religious recognition are still moving forward. Rather than submit another charitable status application to the office where the person who seems mainly responsible for blocking efforts is stationed, they have chosen to apply to a different branch of the CC. The proposed name for the charitable branch is Pagan Federation Charitable Trust. Trustees are hoping to submit the application at Imbolc. For more information, or to send blessings of support for this effort, contact Belinda Winder, BinW2@aol.com at: 2 Woodlands View, Rochdale, OL162UU, United Kingdom.  Ohio Pagan Confederation Founded Ohio Pagans have banded together to create the Ohio Pagan Confederation to assist with various networking efforts among Pagans in their state. Sixteen Pagans, including activists from key religious freedome groups, attended a meeting on November 14, 1998, at which the Confederation was founded. Several projects have been undertaken by the group. An email list has been launched to facilitate calls for assistance and networking for Pagan events (contact Stacy Bartley at  614.261.1022 or email pcco@netwalk.com). Efforts to network Pagan and Pagan friendly counselors and social service professionals are underway (contact Ygraine at 330.677.1304 or ygraine@earthlink.net . A comprehensive directory of Ohio resources for Earth Religion Rights that will include information on how to obtain help in religious discrimination situations in Ohio is being created (contact Stacy above). An annotated directory of individual contacts, the Public Ohio Earth Religion Rights and Information Contacts has already been drafted and sorted in detail by type of assistance each contact person can provide (contact Larry Cornett for details or to register yourself at 216.692.2124 or lcorncalen@aol.com. Plans to post the questionnaire used to become listed in the directory on the web are in process. This web questionnaire would be linked through a database that will automatically create and update annotated directories so the Ohio effort can be expanded nationall by the Sacred Earth Alliance (SEA), a coalition of religious freedom rights activists around the United States. More information about the February 27th Columbus meeting of the Ohio Pagan Confederation can also be obtained by contacting Larry Cornett. Military Pagan Network The mission of the Military Pagan Network, Inc. (MPN) is to serve the networking needs of the military Pagan community, to educate and support those who are faced with harassment or discrimination, and to provide resources when moving to new areas of the world. MPN also provides information to military and government agencies regarding various Neopagan practices and suggests additions or modifications to regulations and policies to include and take into consideration Neopagan religions and practices. More info about MPN is on its website (http://www.milpagan.org/). During this year's Pagan Spirit Gathering (June 20-27 in Ohio), MPN will be holding several networking meetings and workshops for Pagans in the military and veterans. As part of its activities at PSG 1999, MPN will facilitate a discussion of religious freedom issues in various branches of the US armed services. Those interested should contact: John Machate, Military Pagan Network, Inc., PO Box 253, Ellicott City, MD 21041; phone 410.750.3327; email Coordinator@milpagan.org. For more information about PSG, see the PSG gathering page. Job Discrimination Help Requested LLL is compiling information and contacts for assistance in cases where Pagans are having religious freedom problems in the work place. If you have pertinent information, or are an attorney or other professional with expertise in this area and would be willing to volunteer some time to this effort, please contact LLL at: Circle Sanctuary, PO Box 219, Mount Horeb, WI 53572; 608.9242216; circle@mhtc.net