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Imbolc Support & News of Veteran Pentacle Quest
SUPPORT* Please remember the Veteran Pentacle Quest at your individual and group Imbolc and Full Moon rituals and gatherings this week.
* Please pass this email on to others, to lists, websites, and blogs.
* Please focus on the Pentacle being added soon to the emblems of belief list of the VA (US Department of Veterans Affairs) so that it can be included on memorial markers, headstones, and plaques the VA issues to honor deceased veterans.
* Please also send support to those of us on the frontlines of the Quest.
More information, including the Pentacle emblem to visualize, is on-line:
http://www.circlesanctuary.org/liberty/veteranpentacle
NEWS: Litigation Moves Forward
The litigation process on this issue has begun moving forward in our case before the Federal District Court of Western Wisconsin.
Circle Sanctuary is being represented in litigation by Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU). Also being represented are two of our members, Roberta Stewart and Karen DePolito, both widows of deceased Wiccan veterans -- and one of our long-time networking partners, Isis Invicta Military Mission.
We filed our lawsuit against the VA in the Federal District Court of Western Wisconsin on November 13, 2006 (more info: http://www.au.org). The VA had to file its response by January 22, 2007.
Just before the VA's response was due, the VA released it latest version of its proposed regulations for emblems of belief addition to its list. These regulations were published on January 19, 2007 in the Federal Register and the public has sixty days to give comment before these regulations go to the next stage in the regulations review and adoption process.
In its response filed on January 22, 2007 to our lawsuit, the VA made a motion asking the judge to stay -- that is, delay hearing -- our case until after its latest rule revision process was complete.
On Wednesday, January 24, our attorneys filed a response that asked the judge to deny the VA's motion. Shortly thereafter the VA responded to this with additional argument for the stay, and in so doing, indicated that its rule revision and adoption process might take another year.
The judge denied the VA's motion to stay the case.
On Friday, January 26, the judge met with our attorneys and the attorneys representing the VA and issued a projected timetable for the case. Our case is presently scheduled to be heard this June.
Selena Fox, high priestess and senior minister of Circle Sanctuary, commented on these developments with our lawsuit:
"This is great news -- I am relieved that the judge decided to let our litigation proceed! The VA's decade-long pattern of delay, disregard, and discrimination against the Wiccan religion must stop! The thought of possibly having to wait more than a year to have our case heard was terrible and I am glad that the judge denied the VA's motion to delay the hearing of our case."
"It is a disgrace that Wiccan veteran gravesites continue to go unmarked in our church cemetery, at Arlington National Cemetery, and elsewhere because the VA has failed to add our emblem to its list. Furthermore, the VA's failure has caused unnecessary suffering and stress for families and others in their grieving processes."
"The VA's discrimination also has caused undue stress for troops, some of whom are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and who are now being deployed to Iraq as part of the surge. Wiccan and other Pagan veterans and those on active duty have and are defending American freedoms as part of their military service, but have been denied their first amendment rights by the VA. I hope that through this litigation there will, at last, be Liberty and Justice for them ... and for all ... on this matter."
OTHER UPDATES:
The other two lawsuits against the VA are not yet proceeding.
In the lawsuit filed on September 29, 2006 by the ACLU on behalf of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church and others in the US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, the VA argued for the judge to dismiss the case on jurisdictional grounds, the ACLU has countered, the VA has continued to argue for dismissal, but the judge has not yet issued a decision.
On January 5, 2007, the VA responded to our other lawsuit, which AU filed on our behalf in the Federal Circuit Court on November 13, 2006. The VA has asked for this suit to be dismissed. Our attorneys filed for and received an extension.
PROPOSED VA "RULES"
The text of the emblems of belief rules were published in the Federal Register (72 Fed. Reg. 2480) on January 19, 2007. There is a sixty day public comment period, with final comments due on March 20, 2007. If you wish to comment, please keep your remarks polite and professional. We would appreciate a copy of any feedback you send about these proposed rules.
Send us copies of your comments by email: liberty@circlesanctuary.org; and/or by fax: (608) 924-5961; or send by postal mail: LLL Veteran Pentacle Quest, Circle Sanctuary, PO Box 9, Barneveld, WI 53507 USA.
FUTURE UPDATES:
We will share updates as we are able. Due to being in litigation, updates may be infrequent. Thank you for your understanding and for your support.
In Liberty & Justice,
Veteran Pentacle Quest Team
Lady Liberty League
Circle Sanctuary
Circle Times: Monday, January 29, 2007