Is it really too much to ask? He gave his LIFE!
This is an ongoing story, but more and more people seem to be appalled by it. More government stupidity.
The space where the memorial marker of Sgt. Patrick D. Stewart, a decorated American soldier who was killed last year in Afghanistan, should stand is empty because his Wiccan faith is not one of 30 approved for such designation by the federal government.
Stewart, a 34-year-old native of Fernley, Nev., was killed Sept. 25 by a rocket-propelled grenade. His body was cremated and he was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.
His widow, Roberta, held her own Memorial Day service this past May 31 to protest the government’s policy. She has refused a temporary marker at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery until she gets a permanent recognition of her late husband’s faith.
Stewart says her husband was always an accepted member of the military community, and said Wicca has been recognized by the armed forces; the Pentacle star was on her husband’s dog tags.
In an opinion piece for the online version of Christianity Today, a respected voice for American evangelicals, constitutional attorney John W. Whitehead also has come out in favor of the Wiccan cause.
“Whatever one’s opinion might be about the Wiccan faith, there should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that the First Amendment to our U.S. Constitution provides for religious freedom for all individuals of all faiths — whether they are Christians, Jews, Muslims, atheists, Wiccans and others,” Whitehead wrote in an online essay for ChristianityToday.com on June 5.
This will, I think, be resolved, either by the VA’s capitulation, or by the judiciary otherwise.
Right now in history, will be looked back on as a time where every one was very confused.
For many, many reasons.
I just ordered a veteran memorial for my Father several months ago. The choices were somewhat limited. If memory serves there was a plain design without any religious symbols. Granted I had a choice because burial was in a private cemetery, and I could have just bought the memorial from them. Honestly this was probably a bean counter choice and not a political one. They issue contracts for these markers, and the simpler the choices the lower the cost. There is an overall conformity to design. This type of thing can many times be worked out with patience and perseverance.
this will and should be fixed. There is no way the VA will let this stand. If anything the army needs people and can not use any negative pub.
As a Christian and an Ethical Anarchist, I am deeply offended by the stupid government not allowing the Wiccan faith to be represented on this soldier’s grave marker.
This is a violation of separation of Church and State. The government is not supposed to give a flying fig about what anyone’s religion or lack of religion is.
Private cemetaries can be as boorish as the Feds. I had an acquaintance who died quite young — whose family owned a large family plot back East. His wife wanted to memorialize his oppostion to war with a peace symbol on the gravestone.
It was allowed — when they put it on the back.
I’m sorry but I see Wicca as more of an anti-religion than anything. Dictionary definition describes it as a cult only just bearing similarities to organized religion. We are a nation built on Biblical principles. Some of the first wars fought over this nation were to allow this. I’m fairly certain that the Wiccans are against this factual idea so why whould they want to be represented in it?
SamoanCowboy, your argument is irrelevent as the man volunteered for service to the U.S.A. and gave his life. Ergo his headstone should be marked by a symbol of his religion.
“When facism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.”
Sinclair Lewis (1885-1951)
It’s “fascism.” You were missing an s. And I suppose Lewis could be right about that. That would depend on your interpretation of the word.
As long as our current form of Government holds up we can, hopefully, maintain a bit of balance and not get to that point. Lack of competition is bad in all areas, including religion and social ideas. It takes competing groups to keep one group or another from becoming too self-righteous. I’m never in any discussion to point fingers, more to promote thought. This is something I think Lewis himself would agree with.
Incidentally, I too have served in Uncle Sam’s Army and before that the Navy. I appreciate your point Ethan. I didn’t intend to say that the man shouldn’t be honored at all.
http://tinyurl.com/lzapv
I’m not about to waste the time to see whatever the Wonderful World of Wikipedia/Disney defines as Wicca — but, I know enough about the history of religions to understand that Wicca is a pretty ordinary clone of the Paganism that preceded the later flavors of superstition — and equally useless.
I figure, like any religion, if the practitioners feel all warm and fuzzy over it — and they don’t think their deity gives them the right to make rules for non-members, including me — enjoy yourself!
It’s still religious fools who set the so-called standards for who’s allowed or not allowed into graveyards.
#7. SamoanCowboy
We are a nation built on Biblical principles. Some of the first wars fought over this nation were to allow this.
Which wars would those be?
Moss, you make an excellent point. If that is what he would have wanted on his headstone then go for it.
Some times things just fall into place. I went AFK to let my dog out after reading this post. On the way back I stopped to switch channels to something less infomercial and happened to surf across Barney Fife on one channel and a documentary on the Knights Templar on another. And there it was, clear as new Nikon lens.
These 600 pound Gorillas for God that are constantly taking it upon themselves to decide the spiritual correctness of others while doing such a bang up job of minding their own shop, are… the Fife Templars.
Let the poor soldier who served his country have whatever he wanted on HIS grave.
This is sad, wicca is a relgion, it is regonized in the Army’s handbook on religions. They should make symbols available for the various faiths of service members past and present. I am sure he was not the first nor the last wiccan to serve this country, and should be given the same respect and honour as any other member of the armed services.
That said, we must recgonize that even though US district court has regonized it as a religion, the Army regonizes it in their handbook, the Commander in Cheif of the United States prior to being Commander in Chief stated in response to various army bases allowing Wiccans to practice their faith on base, (Particularly regarding a base in Texas) “I don’t think that witchcraft is a religion. I wish the military would rethink this decision.” June 24 1999 Good Morning America. So we shouldn’t should not expect change in the near future unless there is enough public and political presure. yes I know the lack of a symbol is not new, so can not be bglamed on the current administration, but now that it has come to light they should fix it, but I doubt they will unless pushed extreamly hard…
“… the Pentacle star was on her husband’s dog tags.”
I call bullshit there. He may have had some custom dogtags made, but the ones the military makes are text only, and you can pretty much put whatever you want on the religion line.
More importantly, the VA is a completely separate agency from the DoD. Just because the Army recognizes a hundred different religions, doesn’t mean the VA is necessarily going to keep an inventory of plaques with a hundred different symbols on them.
Good for Christianity Today. They can be quite reasonable sometimes. I agree. His religion is diametrically opposed to theirs (and mine … evangelical Christians generally believe Wicca is devil-worship), but he should have the freedom to have it recognized on his grave marker. Freedom of religion has to be given to those who we disagree with as well.
I think that this is most disgraceful being a Christian Wiccan Reverend/High Priestess myself, I am appalled that the Armed Forces will see ALL other faiths be recognized, so why NOT Wicca?!?!?!?!?