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| Author: Posted: Nov. 17, 2002 | This Page Viewed: 3,842,617 |
Question of the Week: 78 - 9/22/2002 Would You Take Part in a Public Event or Protest AS a Pagan? Many Pagans or Heathens have always been a little leery about taking part in public events, protests or in signing their real names to letters or petitions. Given the current climate in the United States and across the world since 9/11, are you more or less inclined to be open about your spiritual beliefs or religion than you once were? Are you more fearful of reprisals or discrimination? Do you think that you would be placed on a surveillance list if you participated in public events or signed petitions with your legal name? Are you more cautious than you may have been before? Or have the events emboldened you to take a more public stance? What’s the current status of YOUR broom closet? |
| Reponses: There are 268 responses posted to this question. | Reverse Sort |
| Believing In Yourself | Sep 29th. at 4:52:50 pm EDT |
| Lisa (Arlington, Tx) | Age: 30 - Email |
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I would participate in or Protest as a Pagan. If you believe in yourself and your are comfortable with what you believe then nothing else should matter. If Joan of Arc didn't believe in herself, religion and country; "Paris as a city would not of happened or would not of been part of France." Brightess Blessings! |
| Freedom Of Choice In America | Sep 29th. at 2:24:10 pm EDT |
| Paeten (USA) | Age: 46 - Email |
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Yes I would participate. I would do so for any group who are persecuted for their beliefs. America is great due to our religious freedom and people need to be reminded there are many, many beliefs in this country. There is not ONE true way! If you condemm any peoples for their religious beliefs then you are blasting away at the very basis for this great nation. |
| Yes, I Still Will... | Sep 29th. at 12:15:17 pm EDT |
| Ackadia Seawind (Palm Coast Florida) | Age: 40 - Email - Web |
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The change in Political power and all the talk of war, do make this decision harder. I am more fearful than I was a few years ago. But I am not yet ready to lay-down and be walked all over. I still stand-up for what I believe and welcome the chance to do so in public. The only way bigotry can win is if people of conscious stop pointing it out. The only way injustice will prevail is if we turn our backs and walk away. I am not ready to walk away. |
| It's Not Always Easy To Be Open | Sep 29th. at 12:05:02 pm EDT |
| InnocenseRose (South Haven,Michigan) | Age: 16 - Email |
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I am not ashamed of what I am. I'm proud to be a wiccan. However, in my community it is not so easy to be open about this. I attend a school full of cruel and immature people. I feel it safer to hide what I am than to make it public. I know of three other wiccans in my school, one who I believe is public with what she is. But the difference is she is known by all. When my boyfriend learned of what I am, he almost left me. And he made the mistake of telling his mother this too, and she's still trying to force him to leave me. But it's been 17 months. If we could find a way for those who do not accept us to learn about us, it'd be easier to be open with what we are. People fear that which they do not understand. If the issue at hand was a big one and something that I believed worth fighting for, yes, I'd come out and I'd "fight" to the end. But sometimes it's just better to keep quiet. |
| Yes! | Sep 29th. at 12:01:01 pm EDT |
| Dawn (Florida) | Age: 29 - Email |
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I am very fearful of the way people may react to my beliefs, always have been, but it didn't stop me from being open about it before 9-11 and I see no reason to go into hiding about it now. I am already on a servalence list for my beliefs and the verious oganizations I belong to. It doesn't bother me any. There is not one person in the united states at this time that isn't. As long as I brake no laws they cannot touch me. I will not let fear rule me, and I think that others should not either. We should all be proud of who and what we are and what it is that we believe. It is who we are and you cannot let anyone person or government take that away from you. Blessings, Dawn Hobbs |
| Would I Take Part? | Sep 29th. at 11:36:05 am EDT |
| Angelika (Ontario Canada) | Age: 45 - Email |
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There is safety in numbers, so if a lot of pagans were to march, or protest peacefully as one, then I would do so also. It would shock my famly and friends and anyone else that knows me, but yes I would. |
| To Each Their Own | Sep 29th. at 11:21:33 am EDT |
| Jeanne Lisbet (Victoria,BC) | Age: 22 - Email |
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We all have our own levels of security, as our own situations dictate. No one should feel bad for not being able to be "out" in public, whether in a workplace or in a marching crowd in the streets. We all know who we are in ourselves, and that should be enough for anyone, no one should have to feel as though they have anything to prove. There are times however, when many voices are needed to give strength to the whole, and it is in picking our battles wisely that we will win a war, against our oppression, our fears, or those of others. For we must take care of each other, as none of us are free until we all are, we all know what is dearest to our hearts that is worth fighting for, and we will know the time when it comes. May Peace be with us all. |
| Well, Yes...but.... | Sep 29th. at 9:35:10 am EDT |
| columbine (NY) | Age: 37 - Email - Web |
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I have no problem being who I am...and have even attending Pagan events and signed my real name. I don't know what the heck you mean by being "Out". If it means screaming from the rooftops..."Oh, lookee, I'm a pagan! Seeseesee!" Then maybe I'm in the closet and have been for about 20 years. I see absolutely NO REASON to do this. To me, it's an embarrassment -- whether you're pagan, Christian, gay, straight, whatever! and, no, I don't dress the sterotypic part of what a witch is supposed to be either and there are quite a few. Do I wear a pentacle? No. do I have other "pagan" jewelry. Well, yeah -- lots. and I get tons of compliments on it from all walks of life. Do I jump up and say "Oh, seeseesee! You just complimented me on a pagan symbol! Nanny nanny nanny!"? No. But, as I read some of the comments here (I only went back about 5 pages or so), I am reaffirmed that there are some definite reasons why I don't associate with much of the pagan populace. Now, maybe it's because these people are still young and foolish and not very adept at handling themselves, but to say things like "go kick some Catholic ass" -- or whatever it is your saying -- is insulting to me as a witch, a human, and as someone who has MANY MANY MANY Catholic and Christian friends. **WHEW** Enough of my rant. Now back to the question at hand. No, I am not ashamed of who I am. I just don't see what the need is to jump out and shout it from the rooftops. I'd feel that way no matter WHAT my belief system. |
| Half In, Half Out | Sep 29th. at 8:54:08 am EDT |
| Cherie (Sacramento, CA) | Age: 46 - Email |
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As the headline suggests, it depends on the situation. I yearly attend the local Pagan Pride Harvest Festival using my actual name, not my magickical name. I have also signed a petition using my real name. On the other hand, I am more cautious in when and where I disclose my religion to others since the 9/11 attack. |
| May Our Vocies Be Herd! | Sep 29th. at 6:49:09 am EDT |
| Sanna hendriksson (Sweden, Haparanda.) | Age: 14 - Email |
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I think it's time for us to create understanding for our religion. And that's what we are doing, the most of us. People need to understand that we DO NOT worshipp (our how ever you spell it) the devil. When you heare the word "devil" you think of darkness and monustreus beeings. It is my thought they aren't. The "Devils" are things that human don't want to accept in her/himself. There's allways someone believeing in that. And I have respect for other religions, as long as they don't try to push their thought's at me. I am a Wiccan sens four years (yes, I started out very young, but dos that mean enything, at the end?) and before that I have been studying herbs and indians. My mother's trying to push cristianity ("jesus loves you", kind of stuff) and as I can se she fails. She forced me to pick away my altar (which took me about an houer) and I wept. She forced me to wear "normal" clotes and I wept again. She tried to pick of me my pentagram, but I stad up and said: "I am a Wiccan, a Witch, mother, and I am proud of that. You can force me to hide my religion, but you can't force me to take of the jwelry I prefere to wear". I am wearing my pentagram still today. =) So to all of you: The world is a tough palce to live on, and today we are even more concentrated at religions after the 11th of September 2001 (my blessings to all the victimes and to them who survived), here in Sweden, and specially in a small town like Haparanda that's so close to Finland, every one knows every thing. We don't think so much at The Crasch, but every year, I may allmost promise, I will wear a symbol for sorrow on the 10th, 11th and 12th of Septambre. Anyway, I'd not keep up to much to that, I wish to see a world were religion dosen't matter. But to see that world we must keep on fighting. Good luck with YOUR fight, and may the God and Godess be by your side. Blessed Be You, Child of Earth! /Sanna. Ps. Do forgive my spelling. English is my 3rd toungue. Ds. |
| Wawoodyinnc | Sep 29th. at 5:33:03 am EDT |
| william woody (greensboro,nc) | Age: 26 - Email |
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i would love love to participate in any open forum for the help and portection of the craft. Let's take thw word out and tell others as it should be. |
| I Have Absolutely No Problem With This | Sep 29th. at 12:25:12 am EDT |
| Becca Rockafellow (Leslie, Michigan) | Age: 35 - Email |
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I have no problem being wiccan openly! I would protest openly and without fear! To show this I have the Triple Goddess tattooed above my forehead! I do understand others hesitation and fear! I respect this and totally understand it! Most people outside of the wiccan/pagan community give me a wide berth so I really have no fear! It helps of course that I have no children so I have no ones safety to be afraid of! Peace, love and respect my brothers and sisters! |
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