AntiWitch March in Texas
Deborah
searles@summerlands.com
Sat Sep  4 13:16:16 1999
I got this in my inbox from one of the lists I'm on. Thought I'd pass it along for everybody's edification and 'enjoyment'. Please, join with our fellow Pagans in sending protection and centered energy to the situation on the 6th. This guy definitely sounds like a major crackpot.*p*Thanks,*br*Deborah*p**br*>Lady Liberty League News #6*br*>Wednesday, September 1, 1999*br*>*br*>NEWS ALERT: Pagans Plan Response to Labor Day Anti-Witch March in Texas*br*>*br*>Pagans, Christians, and others supportive of religious diversity*br*>are planning to make a peaceful and centered stand -- for religious*br*>freedom, and against bigotry -- in response to an anti-Witch march*br*>scheduled to take place on Labor Day (Monday, September 6, 1999) in local*br*>communities near Fort Hood in Texas. The march is being organized and led*br*>by an anti-diversity "Christian" preacher who has been one of the most*br*>vocal opponents of freedom of worship for Wiccans in the US military. He*br*>has tried repeatedly to stir up public pressure to stop the Sacred Well*br*>Congregation's Fort Hood Open Circle from having Wiccan rituals at Fort*br*>Hood.*br*>*br*>This preacher, Rev. Jack Harvey of Tabernacle Baptist Church in*br*>Killeen, calls his action, "march against wickedness." He plans to start*br*>the march in Killeen on Monday morning and end it in the afternoon at a*br*>Pagan owned metaphysical store in Copperas Cove. He has spoken out against*br*>Witches and the Wiccan religion both publicly and privately.*br*>*br*>Some of his anti-Wiccan propaganda is quoted in an article written*br*>by reporter Barry Schlachter which was published in the August 7, 1999*br*>issue of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram newspaper. The entire article is*br*>on-line at:*br*>http://www.star-telegram.com/news/doc/1047/1:METRO73/1:METRO73080799.html*br*>*br*>[quote starts] "This is war," thundered the Rev. Jack Harvey of nearby*br*>Killeen, who has vowed to run the witches off base. Harvey, who has*br*>announced a Labor Day "march against wickedness," sees no difference*br*>between Wicca and devil worship or voodoo. He has instructed that at least*br*>one member of his congregation carry a handgun at services -- "in case a*br*>warlock tries to grab one of our kids." "I've heard they drink blood, eat*br*>babies. They have fires, they probably cook them. This is unbelievably*br*>wrong," said Harvey, who repeatedly pounded his desk during an interview at*br*>Tabernacle Baptist Church, then apologized for his hell-broth boil. [quote*br*>ends]*br*>*br*>According to Heidi Morrow, who owns the New Age Connection, the*br*>store in Copperas Cove, Texas, being targeted by Harvey and his march on*br*>September 6, Harvey has told her and other area Witches that all Witches*br*>should be dead. He has repeatedly quoted a passage from Exodus 22:18 of*br*>the King James Version of the Bible: "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to*br*>live." Although the word witch in this version is a mistranslation of "ob"*br*>meaning "poisoner," from his remarks, Harvey appears to have no*br*>understanding of this and seems to be taking the words of the King James*br*>version of the passsage quite literally.*br*>*br*>Lianna Costantino-Mead, a Wiccan high priestess, has heard similar*br*>rhetoric from Harvey. He also told her that all Witches should be killed.*br*>He proclaimed this after refusing her invitation for him to join in an*br*>interfaith dialog meeting between local Christian and Pagan religious*br*>leaders about religious freedom concerns. Due to threats Harvey has made*br*>against her, Lianna filed a report with the police.*br*>*br*>On Saturday, August 28 at the Killeen Community Center, an*br*>interfaith dialog meeting, organized by Lianna and facilitated by a*br*>religiously neutral (agnostic) local therapist, went well. David*br*>Oringderff, executive director of the Sacred Well Congregation, was among*br*>the Pagan leaders who spoke, as did Marcy Palmer, high priestess of the*br*>Fort Hood Open Circle, SWC. Lianna and Heidi also were among the Pagans*br*>who spoke. A variety of Pagan paths were represented as well as several*br*>Christian denominations. Some of the Christian ministers who took part in*br*>this dialog meeting are planning to join Wiccans and other Pagans at*br*>Heidi's store on Labor Day in a show of solidarity against the bigotry*br*>espoused by Harvey.*br*>*br*>HOW YOU CAN HELP*br*>*br*>* Send blessings of strength, centeredness, protection, well-being, and*br*>other support to the Pagans, Christians, and others who will be at Heidi's*br*>store on Labor Day. Also send blessings to the store itself, its owner,*br*>employees, and customers. Invoke the blessings and protection of Lady*br*>Liberty.*br*>*br*>* Send well wishes for the continuance of interfaith dialog efforts begun*br*>in the local area by Lianna.*br*>*br*>* Send blessings of support to the Wiccans in the Fort Hood Open Circle,*br*>SWC, at the nearby Fort Hood Army Post.*br*>*br*>* Pass the word about this situation on to others who may be interested in*br*>contributing support for religious freedom and for greater acceptance of*br*>religious diversity in this region.*br*>*br*>* If you and/or others you know are interested in being part of the*br*>peaceful and centered presence at Heidi's store during the day of Monday,*br*>September 6, please contact Lianna and Heidi for more details. Those being*br*>part of this presence at the store should be adults who can stay centered*br*>and silent in the face of taunts and other possible harrassment by bigots.*br*>In addition, participants should be dressed conservatively and be willing*br*>to have their faces appear in the media, since both national and local*br*>media have indicated they plan to cover the event. Furthermore, adults*br*>should NOT bring any children with them. Although police will be*br*>monitoring the situation, it is uncertain what those taking part in the*br*>anti-Witch march will do. Pagans, Christians, and those of other religions*br*>who support religious freedom and oppose religious bigotry are welcome to*br*>contact Lianna and Heidi for more information about the gathering at the*br*>store.*br*>*br*>Lianna Costantino-Mead*br*>PO Box 4247, Killeen, TX 76540*br*>(254) 539-7040*br*>organizer of the interfaith pro-diversity response to the March*br*>organizer of Pagan-Christian interfaith dialog in the Killeen area*br*>*br*>Heidi Morrow*br*>home: (254) 542-8123*br*>store: (254) 518-3434*br*>fax: (254) 518-2669*br*>newage@vvm.com*br*>Witch & owner of the New Age Connection, Copperas Cove, Texas*br*>*br*>If you make arrangements with them to be part of the pro-religious freedom*br*>gathering at the store, please send an email to LLL (circle@mhtc.net) and*br*>share your perspectives about what occurs.*br*>*br*>If you see press coverage of this event, please email reports and/or send*br*>press clippings to LLL Archives.*br*>*br*>Lady Liberty League (LLL) is an international Nature Religions civil rights*br*>organization. More information and links about efforts to preserve first*br*>amendment rights for Wiccans in the US Military is on-line at the LLL*br*>website noted below.*br*>*br*>Copies of this email LLL News Alert can be forwarded to others.*br*>Please help spread the word:*br*>*br*>* by emailing others you know,*br*>* by adding a link to your website,*br*>* by posting on bulletin boards,*br*>* by publishing this in newsletters,*br*>* by forwarding this to lists,*br*>* by mentioning in chat rooms, & other ways.*br*>*br*>Thank you.*br*>*br*>LADY LIBERTY LEAGUE NEWS*br*>Email Newsletter of the Lady Liberty League*br*>http://www.circlesanctuary.org/liberty*br*>Circle Sanctuary, PO Box 219, Mt. Horeb, WI 53572 USA*br*>email: circle@mhtc.net*br*>telephone: (608) 924-2216 (phone staffed most weekdays 10am-5pm CDT)*br*>fax: (608) 924-5961 evenings (days, phone first & ask line be set for fax) *br*