An interesting story on Fox News Online…
MADISON, Wis. �?? Since Korean War veteran Jerome Birnbaum died in 2005, his grave in a pagan cemetery had been marked with only a pile of stones and U.S. flags.
On Memorial Day, Birnbaum’s grave and those of other military veterans will be dedicated with government-issued markers etched with a symbol of their religion â€??? the Wiccan pentacle.
Wiccans sued the government last year, arguing that it was unduly stalling a decision on whether to add the pentacle to the list of acceptable symbols for veterans’ graves.
A settlement between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Wiccans added the five-pointed star to the list of “emblems of belief.”
“I like to see our success literally etched in stone, because it will be,” said Birnbaum’s wife, Karen DePolito. She said winning the fight is vindication for all Wiccans.
Half of her husband’s ashes were scattered outside their house in Utah, while the rest were interred in a cemetery at Circle Sanctuary, one of the nation’s largest Wiccan churches.
Circle Sanctuary, located in Barneveld, Wisconsin, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of Madison, will be home to three grave markers �?? more than any other place in the country, high priestess Selena Fox said.
Arlington National Cemetery will have two markers. A World War II veteran’s marker was dedicated Wednesday, and a ceremony for another Wiccan veteran was planned for July 4, Fox said.
The VA said five pentacle markers have been delivered since the April 23 settlement with one more requests pending. Fox said she knows of 12 requests that are going to be made to the VA.
(To read the rest of this story on Fox News Online, go here.)
This is something The Bull has hoped to live to see – the final resting places of Pagan Service members with the appropriate markings. Many people, both Pagan and Christian, swore that the Government (meaning the Dept. of Veterans Affairs) would never accept that Pagans really do serve their nation with the same fervor as the Christians, Jews, and a smattering of other faiths. Yet, that is exactly what has happened. The only shame here is that it took a law suit to wake the Dept. of Veterans Affairs up to that concept.
Faith. There are many types of faith. A person can have faith in many things. For instance, my faith that the Nation would see fit to honor all of those that serve her. It took time. It took patiently working peacefully through the system. No rock throwing, no suicide bombers, and no radical clerics shouting “Down with Bush!” even though Pres. Bush has been steadfastly against the inclusion of Pagan religious ceremonies in military bases and the proper markings on the graves of those brave Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines.
If you have not guessed it yet, or have not been reading this blog very long, you may only now becoming to understand that The Bull himself is a Pagan. I was trained as a Wiccan. So as you can see I have a natural inclination to follow this story. Further, as you read this blog you may notice that I love my Country plenty enough to die for her. I love the Freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution. Yet in 1980 when I enlisted in the Navy I could not get my dog tags made correctly. They first came back marked ‘Baptist’, then ‘Christian’, and finally ‘No Preference’. At this point my Company Commander was steaming mad at the clowns making these things. I was not surprised as I had already learned that a majority of Americans did not like having people of my Faith around, much less serving in the Armed Forces. I finally got my tags marked properly when I arrived at the sub school in Groton, CT. My faith held, though.
On any given day there are hundreds, if not thousands, of Pagans of all stripes out there in the Armed Forces protecting us back here at home. All the while that Pagan service person knows that they are fighting for a Nation that, on the whole, wishes that they and their chosen Faith would simply disappear. Sorry, folks! We can’t and won’t go away! Why should we? We are Americans.
Today, Dear Reader, the Pagans are standing a bit taller in their combat boots. They are comforted somewhat by knowing that who they are shall not perish with them should the worst happen.
Blessed Be on this Memorial Day!
Bull, out!
