Yes, we wear the pentacle!

When U.S. Army Sgt. Patrick D. Stewart died in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan in September 2005, his widow had one simple request. She asked that his tombstone in the veterans' cemetery bear the symbol of his religion. It didn't seem terribly difficult because, after all, the Department of Veterans' Affairs has a list of 38 different emblems of belief permitted on veterans' tombstones. They include the three Abrahamic faiths of Islam, Judaism and Christianity; Buddhism, Hinduism. Sikhism, Sufism, Eckankar, Soka Gakkai and Humanism. And to give lie to the old aphorism that "there are no atheists in foxholes,"there's even an emblem approved for those who profess to be atheists. In other words, the federal veterans' cemeteries comprise a big tent with room for the military dead of all religions and their symbols.

Except one, that is. Patrick Stewart lived and died a proud Pagan. And like many of us, he wore the five-pointed star known as a Pentacle. However, the Veterans Administration is "still reviewing" the application for the use of the Pentacle, and has been doing so since 1989.  Meanwhile, other emblems, such as the Sikh khanda have been fast-track approved, with the Sikhs receiving authorization for the use of their emblem in 2004.

Perhaps the problem is political. Back when he was still governor of Texas, the present occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue said that in his opinion, Wicca--the variety of Paganism to which Stewart was an adherent-- was not a religion. Undoubtedly the boycott of military enlistment called for by a number of fundamentalist Christian groups in the wake of Pagan enlistments and permitted Pagan religious rituals on military bases has played a part.

Last weekend in Minnesota, a large group of Pagans held a public demonstration aimed at moving the Veterans' Administration to permit the use of the pentacle. You'll find some photos here.  And a video of the Pentacle Song shot at the 2006  Sacred Harvest Festival is receiving thousands of hits on www.YouTube.com.  If you'd like to learn the words and spread the song throughout the Pagan community, you will find the lyrics here.

Meanwhile, Patrick Stewart's widow, together with a second military widow and the well-known Circle Sanctuary group have joined with Isis Invicta Military Mission  to file suit in federal court in Madison, Wisconsin, charging that the VA's failure to act violates Pagans' freedom of religion. Here's a video about the litigation. Other supporters of this project include the Lady Liberty League, and Americans United for Separation of Church and State.   

Last week at Pantheacon, I shot photos of just a few of the hundreds of festival-goers who were wearing pentacles. I had planned to fill up my camera's 500+ image photo card, but apparently the fact that Mercury was in retrograde temporarily banjaxed my camera, which froze up after my shooting only about 25 mug shots.  I asked everyone to sign a photo release and to give me identifying information. In the interests of space, I'll list names, occupations and hometowns first and then will upload the photos. Suffice to say that these photos represent a pretty good cross section of what, in  her presentation at Pantheacon,  Margot Adler called "high-functioning Pagans."  Here's the list:

Todd Bentson , author/filmmaker, St. Paul, Minnesota; Valley High, manager, Berkeley, California; Sue A. McCullough, computer programmer/military veteran. Oakland, California; Jennifer Robinson, environmental specialist, Fremont, California; Tim Bolyard, construction worker, Florida; Elizabeth McNally, Importer of Lindisfarne Mead, California; Kelley E. Montford, college humanities professor, Overland Park, Kansas; Michael George Lange, military veteran, Buena Park, California; Tina Nettleton, teacher, San Leandro, California; Vicki Solomon, retired engineer, Oakland, California; Alison Miller, student, San Francisco, California; Eric Montford, Communications technician, Kansas City, Kansas; Anne Hill, writer, Bodega Bay, California, Aneirys, poet, San Jose, California, M. Macha NightMare, writer and priestess, San Rafael, California; Gary Suto, fashion designer, Brooklyn, New York, Kevin Roddy, librarian, Honolulu; Kirk C. White, president of Cherry Hill Pagan Seminary , Bethel, Vermont; Amara, writer, Tracy, California; Patrick McCollum, chaplain and writer, San Francisco Bay Area, Rowan Fairgrove, librarian, San Francisco Bay Area; Ariana Firedragon, receptionist, Antioch, California; Crystal Blanton, Walnut Creek, California. (The names and the photos are not in the same order).

This list of proud Pagans and witches who have kicked open the door to the broom closet could have been so much longer, had my technology cooperated. Here are the smiling faces of those I did manage to photograph. (And yes, I wear a pentacle myself all the time. You can find a photo of my pentacle in an earlier posting I made about trolling eBay).

Every one of these people was wearing a pentacle in some form or another: pendants, pins, tattoos, designs on clothing. And they represent  only a tiny fraction of the Pagan community.

Of course the Pentacle is not necessarily the sole symbol employed in Paganism. We're a wildly diverse group that includes Druids, some of whom use the Awen; Norse reconstructionist Heathens  who are often seen wearing the Valknut or a Mjolnir (hammer of Thor); or Dianics, who might prefer a silver goddess image.  But the Pentacle is the place to start, and I sincerely hope the Department of Veterans Affairs responds to either the rising tide of public opinion or to the litigation.   It only seems fair.

Pagan Paganism pentacle veteran veterans tombstone cemetery grave religion religions religious freedom constitution constitutional litigation lawsuit suit rights civil+rights

Comments

[Holly]

BRAVO!

[Sojourner]

Thanks for mentioning my fellow Minnesotans!

Also, one thing that is not pointed out is that they braved going out in horrible weather; a day when we got more than few inches of snow. Snow wasn't going to stop them from getting out the message of religious tolerance!

[Kevin Roddy]

Victoria!

I loved this article, and am so happy I could be a small part of it!

Happy Spring!

Love and Light,

Kevin