Witchvox Article

Author: Adelia Aislin
Posted: April 24th. 2011
Times Viewed: 3,469

Usually, I don't want to be center stage -shut it, peanut gallery. What I mean is, I don't like people talking about me. It's low and crude, and I try to avoid it as best as possible, so I wish others to bestow the same courtesy upon me. Unfortunately, when you're doing something that has been shoved under the rug for so many centuries now and bringing it to the light, you're going to get people that talk about you. Okay, I understand that. I've even come to accepting the fact that by coming out of the broom closet, I've made myself a target to insults. Whatever, it comes with the field. But going around, saying I want to put a curse on you?

Stop it. Now.

I have never said that. I would never even want to put a curse on anyone! There's some people who I think need to get a little kick in the butt, but who doesn't think that? Let me put this straight: It is against the Wiccan Reed to harm anything. That means that I am to treat every living and non-living thing with respect. And by giving respect to the non-living, of course, I don't deface graves; I don't jump on graves, etc. But that also means to not deface things like, oh say, the GRAND CANYON by carving "M.F WAS HERE" in crude handwriting. C'mon people! Places like that are holy! As the famous John Muir, founder of the National Parks, said,

�God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from fools.�

I don't care what your belief is. Every religion calls for the rejoicing of the natural, the earth, and the world. And besides, even if I was angry enough to want to hurt you, guess what? There's a law against that, in the Wiccan Rede and in state and federal laws. So the cursing?

Stop it. Now.

And I know this is another thing that comes with the religion, but stop telling me to burn in hell, or to burn at the stake. That is scary. No kidding. There are witch-hunts going on every year in Sub-Sahara Africa, the Middle East, and India. And it is caused by people looking for a scapegoat. There's a drought? Oh, well, y'know, it's probably that old witch just outside the village. And she's burned. The worst thing? Although many that are burned, stoned, or killed by any other means are actually witches (and by witches, I'm just meaning anyone with polytheistic beliefs) , but there are those that just happen to be well versed in how to use herbs and plants to heal. I understand joking, especially if the topic comes to pre-modern witch-hunts. I mean, it's been so ingrained into our society that I can hardly blame people for that. But coming up to me and telling me to burn?

Stop it. Now.

By now, I know most people are asking, "Well, if you're getting so much crap for it, why don't you just shut up?" Now. Let me take a moment to keep from screaming at all y'alls.

Okay then. My Christian friends, if someone was giving you crap about being Christian, would you stay silent? Knowing many of you, I'm pretty sure the answer is a HELL to the NO! (But maybe not with that exact vocabulary) You keep preaching, spreading the Gospel to the Four Corners. And you hear about martyrs in Africa and in some places in South America (though not quite as often) .

So you see? I can't stay quiet.

Think back to the civil rights movement -yeah, I pulled that card- and think hard. Would we be where we are today as a nation if people had decided that, �I might get killed if I keep on like this. Better stop now"? HELL NO! It's the thought that someone would blatantly deny such a large group of people their rights and threaten their right to life that drives many of us. Telling me to wait for someone else to take the responsibility is downright stupid. I don't see anyone else lifting the flag. Do you?

As silly as my dreams are, I hope that one day, someone in office will be brave enough to wash out the stain that Mrs. O'Donnell has left for a large generation for young adults trying to find a religion that is positive, up-lifting, and spiritual and still -for the most part- pure of heart. Paganism/Wiccan/Druidism doesn't call for a priest or priestess to reside over every ritual. You don't have to rely on a medium to channel the power of the Gods. It does not demand any sacrifice, and it does not ask you to shed blood in the name of the Gods. It is a beautiful thing, something that you are born with.

Have you ever noticed a child playing outside, in any sort of landscape? Nature is their God. The Wind is their playmate. The Sun protects them, and the Moon lulls them to sleep. Every kid is fascinated by nature. You can recognize this by taking teenagers and little kids to a nature center. The little kids are all so excited to dig in the dirt, plant trees and climb them, to see how plants and animals work together. Did you notice that the same group of teenagers, the teenagers that less than ten years ago were doing the exact same thing, is hanging back? That they think this is lame?

Honestly, people. Stop it. Now.

Get more in touch with that inner child. I don't care if it doesn't move you to convert. I'm not looking to convert. If you don't want to, fine. You'll know yourself if there has been a change in heart in you. But maybe that connected-ness with Nature will stop some of today's sh*t.

Getting back to my original point, have you seen the movies of Hollywood today? There seems to be a witch-craze. The Season of the Witch (I'm still hoping that will turn out better than what I've heard) . Hansel and Gretel Witch-Hunters. Wait, what? Since when did sweet little Hansel and Gretel start hunting witches? Yeah, yeah, they pushed that one old hag into the oven. She was going to eat them, okay? I accept that. But if you go onto the site for that movie, they're sponsoring a new iTouch app called "Hunt the Witch".

WHAT?

And don't tell me to not get heated by this. If someone came out with an app called "N----- Lynching" or "Kill the Jew", everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, would be throwing a fit about it. But when a Witch tries to throw a fit about an app that encourages Witch-Hunts, everyone tells them to calm down. �That it's just how society is�. Yeah well, not even fifty years ago, no one gave a rat�s behind if someone murdered a gay, or a lesbian, or an African-American (Okay, that last one was usually contained to the South) .

It's time someone stepped up. I know I'm 17. Yeah, that's young. And I'm not trying to rally every single Pagan/Witch/Druid around me. Hell, I know so many people that are much more qualified for that. I lost any thought of that position with my language. (pfft.) But something needs to change, and it's not going to happen if you all keep telling us to shut our mouths and to stop overstepping our limits. I am not overstepping my limits. I am not stepping on anyone's rights. If anything, it's vice versa.

So Stop it. Now.

Because what is it going to take to get you people to realize that this isn't a joke? That this isn't a phase, or some weird fad? This is a lifestyle; one that all of us have committed ourselves too. I understand the commitment to just mind one's own business. But sorry, that's not me. Not when my brothers and sisters are being killed. And is that what it's going to take? Is it going to take an incident like Tuscon, which sparked up a debate about gun-violence and using gun-metaphors against an opposing Senator, to spark a debate about witch-huntings? That is real sh*t, my friends, and NOT in a good way. All it takes is for one idiotic person who thinks they have to take things into his/her own hands for things to get ugly.

So Stop it. Now.

Stop with the taunts. Stop with the jokes. Stop with the threats, the silencing, the ignoring. Because we are all smarter than this. We are all smart enough to learn from history, to learn that things don't just come on their own good time. That people have to fight for them. We are all smart enough, and kind enough, to accept differences.

At least, I hope we are.

ABOUT...

Adelia Aislin

Location: Detroit, Michigan

Author's Profile: To learn more about Adelia Aislin - Click HERE

Bio: I am a teenager. Simple as. I'm trying to live with my choices, both good and bad. Sometimes I get mad. Sometimes I want to lash out. But I choose to write. Maybe in a past life, I was part of the Civil Liberties Movement, so that would explain why I'm so concerned over injustices. I don't know. I don't have a lot of answers, but I have a lot of questions, and if someone wants to help answer them, I would love them to bits!

Other Listings: To view ALL of my listings: Click HERE

Email Adelia Aislin... (Yes! I have opted to receive invites to Pagan events, groups, and commercial sales)

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