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Page: Profile: Wren's Nest News Local
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Article: 18071
[Pagan]
Date Posted:
6/28/2007
6:55:38 pm EDT
Wvox Stats
Views: 6,872
RSS: 20,616
Comments: 31
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Christian Right Attacks Pagan Democratic Party Officer (updated)
Author: Eddie in ME (blog) Source: Daily Kos
Title: CHRISTIAN RIGHT ATTACKS PAGAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY OFFICER (UPDATED)
This is one of those diaries I hoped I'd never have to write. But as the Vice Chair of the Kennebec County Democratic Committee, this duty falls to me.
On Monday, the Christian Civic League of Maine decided to attack our county chair, Rita Moran, on the basis of her Pagan faith. This comes two weeks after a major victory in a special election in our county.
On Monday, our county chair received an e-mail from the state party chair, Ben Dudley. He was forwarding a letter from Mike Hein of the Christian Civic League. I won't post the content of the e-mail here, but the gist was it was demanding her resignation because she was Pagan. The Pagan listservs are lighting up, talking about the action being taken by the CCL, and referring to this article:
Democrat County Chair Worships Witchcraft Goddess; Promotes Paganism
Rita Moran is well-known in Central Maine as the longstanding Kennebec County Democrat Chair and the the owner of Apple Valley Books at 121 Main Street in Winthrop. Less well-known is Moran's involvement in one of Maine's thriving underground pagan worship circles.
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Community Thoughts: There are 31 comments posted | Reverse Sort |
| More Ammunition For The Legal Battle | Jun 30th. at 7:27:43 pm EDT
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Opus the Poet (Garland, Texas) - Email Me - Web
Just in case anybody is still reading about this, there's a federal law that makes disclosing the contact information of minors online a federal crime, and I noticed such contact information posted for at least one minor in the cache. Find a US Attorney and demand prosecution for this heinous crime.
Opus
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| Sounds Familiar | Jun 30th. at 1:47:04 am EDT
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Just A Wolf (Seward, Michigan) - Email Me
Hmmm. I wonder if this is part of the same group that is heckling Mitt Romney on the campaign trail?
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| I Feel Compelled | Jun 29th. at 6:18:10 pm EDT
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Aritimi Morgana (RotterdamJct/Schdy/Scotia, New York) - Email Me
to add my voice to this matter. What if the person in question was Jewish or Muslim instead of Pagan? Would the public be as equally inflamed by such dreadful behaviour if done to them, or even more so? I'd be angry if a political candidate I was supporting, whatever religion or stand they choose to have, came under the kind of vicious attack these fundie nutcases are doing. This kind of behaviour is utterly reprehensible. It is not okay for them to be doing this, and I'd be equally angry if pagans decided to do this to Christians. Sure, politics is a dirty business, and there is the inevitable mudslinging from either side. But when these fundies start posting people's personal info for the sole purpose of harassing and intimidating them, that is wrong. That crosses the line into criminal actions. It's sick. I am hoping that the actions of those fundies backfires, or that the pagans in that area DO NOT let this sort of thing continue, that they let the public know what the fundies are trying to do. I would not let this happen to anyone else either, even for other Christians.
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| Enough | Jun 29th. at 5:56:13 pm EDT
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Shan (Believe, California) - Email Me
the time has come for us to
#1) no longer bow,
#2) or to apologize,
#3) feel ridiculed ,
#4) try to explain our beliefs.
While we don't have to follow in their hate mongering it is time for us to STOP,,, and I mean stop,,, explaining ourselves...
We are Pagan, we are Wiccan, Druid,,which ever path you chose its no longer debateable... stop..
be the best person you can be.
Its hard, I'm an outed person in my community too... but until we stop debating why and what it means to be Pagan we make ourselves co-dependants...
I don't mean don't email and write newspapers,. by all means write them, tell them their behavior is wrong, if its the big guys then don't patronage their businesses, if you are invited to a wedding send your regrets to the couple explaining that while you'd like to attend their particular church is ignorant and hurtful to you and your family... send a letter to the pastor, preacher,priest whichever,,, ,,, but don't explain why you are what you are....... Just BE,.... good luck, and stand up for your fellow follower...
Shan
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| For Whatever | Jun 29th. at 1:26:39 pm EDT
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Red Cedar Owl (Deville, Louisiana) - Email Me
reason I could not leave a comment at CCL's little website-- are Pagan filters possible :)
Oh, well here is what I was going to say
To bad you DO NOT practice what YOU preach!!!
""For 231 years, we have celebrated our independence -- our own right to do as we please in governing our own lives. What a wonderful country we live in -- despite all its faults and failures. What wonderful freedoms are offered to us as citizens of the USA.
One of those freedoms is Freedom of Religion. We can believe or worship anybody or anything we want with no one to tell us differently.
Jun 29, 2007 - 9:24:37 AM""
May the Blessed Mother and Holy Father have mercy on your sorry souls.
Red Cedar Owl, Wizard
and I am a conservative Republican!!
The part in double quotes is taken directly from their website. Hypocrites, one and all!!!!
And I WILL check out Rita's book store and see if she has something I wish to purchase.
Blessed Be
One and ALL
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| Suicide Is Painless | Jun 29th. at 11:02:59 am EDT
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Ahr-Ohn (Bridgeport, Connecticut) - Email Me
I found the Outing, and it actually looks rather favorable. I can understand their pulling the comments, since they were in Criminal Breach of Contract, or Fraud, when those were posted. That part of Maine doesn't want to pay a lot for Washington Lawyers. The charge might even be Wire Fraud.
Here's a list of Churches, that should be audited for investing tax exempt funds into political action... [Web LINK] Please, everybody call those contact numbers, and ask if they've been supporting this publication with Church Funds.
If donations have slowed, it sounds like there's some question of how well the lady in question is going to handle this latest flap. There's an art to wearing a Teflon (tm) Suit, starting with the public announcement, "They spelled my name right!!!" Frankly, the page in question looks more like an advertisement.
[Web LINK] If that's an Iron Bog, I know the magic they're looking for, to establish their building fund. It was first developed that Brigid, avatar of Agni, could recover her voice.
Drawn is the Page of Pentacles Inverted: An unrealistic person; Failure to recognize obvious facts; Dissipation of ideas; Illogical thinking; Rebelliousness; Wastefulness; Unfavorable news... Certainly, the use of Dagda's Cauldron would benefit anybody, and there seems to be an Iron Bog in that area, but the Page of Pentacles could be this Mike Hein fellow. Could anyone find the convenience to call, and ask if it's him?
Arawn Greylord, Captain of the Wyld Hunt and Sperm Donor to The Virgin Mary
Find More info -- HERE
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| Given That | Jun 29th. at 8:20:09 am EDT
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stalkingwolf (Bullhead City, Arizona) - Email Me
the ccl is watching this site and that they have disabled there own comments feature. ( gee opie I wonder why?) I will post my comment to them here.
Probably be faster anyway. Here goes,
"I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.
Author: Stephen Roberts"
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| Since 1982 | Jun 29th. at 6:39:33 am EDT
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Ananta Androscoggin (Greene, Maine) - Email Me
when I got out of the Coast Guard and returned home to Maine, this organization has been in the news for what can only be described as "hate speech." They are rabidly against Gays, free Women, Gays, non-Christians, Gays, and anybody else they can scare up a crowd of moneygivers by trumpeting distorted claims about.
Over these years they have also been a source of many news articles, and even more comments among people who have had to deal with them, about fiscal corruption by all three of its leaders since then. A popular question among the membership of Maine CCL is "Where'd the money go?" The standard answer seems to foreshadow what is now so well-known in our nation's capital, "That's nobody's business."
Quite frankly given the CCL's rhetoric, it is surprising that they haven't made the expected show of support for the Westboro Baptist Church every time they come to Maine to stir up trouble over soldiers' funerals. Or perhaps they were taken aback by the large numbers of people who announced their support of the mourners and proved it by showing up.
Of course, the fact that Hein's own local Republican party choose not to finance his own attempt to seek political office for the sake of advancing his version of the right-wing agenda just a short while ago has nothing to do with his spiteful venom.
Yeah! Right!
Hey! Ya wanna buy this bridge in Brooklyn? It's going cheap but you gotta act fast!
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| Tried To Comment | Jun 29th. at 4:16:22 am EDT
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The Rev. Sparrowhawk (Yakima, Washington) - Email Me
I tried to comment at the CCL website, but I don't think their comment options are working. They probably received too many angry responses. But, this is what I was trying to send them:
"Merry Meet!
As the founder of a tax exempt non-profit Pagan organization I find your discriminating article rather disturbing. Rita Moran appears to be doing exactly what other politicians should be doing, keeping her faith to herself.
Too often we see politicians preaching as loud as possible about their religious beliefs. This is far more likely with Christian politicians. Yet, their own scriptures tell them to pray quietly, for that is what their God prefers. Those who preach from the rooftops are only seeking attention and fame.
Rita Moran isn't trying to convert others or proselytize her religious beliefs. She has been keeping her political business and her faith separate (as they should be) . Her store is her own private business and has nothing to do with her politics. The Pagan Parenting website is for parents who are already Pagans. It is not for luring children into her Pagan beliefs.
Your article has obviously been written out of spite. The Democrats won the election, so now you feel it is necessary to attack the Democrats by using Rita's religion against her and the Democratic party.
I have been a Pagan for over 8 years and have committed myself to educating the public about our religious beliefs while supporting our community as a whole. Our coven's rituals are open to the public, because we have nothing to hide. We deserve the same respect as any other religion. I will never hide or cower in fear when discrimination becomes an issue for me. And, I will always speak out against religious discrimination wherever it rears its ugly head.
There are probably over one million Pagans in the United States who will support Rita Moran. I will make sure that she receives our support through multiple venues and websites to let the entire Pagan population know what you have been doing to cause harm to Rita Moran. Your vile acts of discrimination will certainly come back around and bite you in the rear. For that is the way karma works. Isaac Newton said, "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction." So, be wary and mindful of any further articles against other people's faiths. The results could be quite devastating.
Now, I don't want to end this comment with negativity, so I'll just say Blessed Be!
Brightest Blessings,
The Rev. Jasper Sparrowhawk
President
Church of the Sacred Moon
Selah, WA"
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| Pro Pagan Xtian Cult Site? | Jun 29th. at 2:51:07 am EDT
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Terry (Irvington, Virginia) - Email Me
After seeing the Maine Dem author at the Daily Kos ask for help, and seeing discussion of tampering and contract violations at OBOD's forum, I recovered 59 comments from this faux-xtian hate cult's site in a net cache. This may be helpful for those considering litigation, though it likely had other variants at times:
as retrieved on Jun 27, 2007 18:48:07 GMT [Web LINK]
Surprise, other than one psycho pastor seen practically loosing it when his irrational rants grow increasingly detached and fail to convince anyone, nearly all comments, pagan and xtian alike, chastise the CCL or support Rita! (Sort of like the huge poll AFA ran which didn't exactly convince Congress as intended, when 2/3rds of voters advocated gay marriage rights, and the poll mysteriously vanished....)
Not even the Maine Dykes who logged in to ridicule the hate cultists by thanking them for the nice pictures of their parade found the level of support Rita did at the CCL comment site, and theirs didn't include any interfaith leaders or liberal xtians as have spoken out for Rita (though UCC is listed as a CCL target) .
It appears the CCL operates two or more corporate fronts. Considering their downloadable voter guide, and articles by leaders like this [Web LINK]
showing line by line how to complete candidate selection ballots, with added comments, and phone bank help from headquarters doing so on election day (look at the article index for this author's stuff) , a close review of possible issues for criminal state or Federal tax code or related violations might be fruitful.
Oh, but they are just that kind of good godly operation. Mr. Hein brags about his wife joining him in using an absentee ballot, so that he could tell her how to vote. Isn't that precious?
Except for the ethical filter for deciding competency for office, it would be desirable if more pagans devoted the time to studying candidates this dangerous predator clearly does.
The CCL and Mr. Hein apparently delight in illegal activities, including frauds, contract lies, and possible tax and Copyright violations. As supremacist hate cultists promoting child abuse (relative to neutral standards for a diverse society previously discussed on WitchVOX, or in the YFEPP at NCAC [Web LINK] and Marjorie Heins' related research and books, etc) , perhaps a spay and neuter clinic is in order to reduce pollution of the gene pool? Certainly there are plenty of Maine Vet's skilled at letting dirty dogs have their day, but not spill seed in the process?
Support reductions to overpopulation and global warming: Support your local spay and neuter clinic for pathological child abusing rabid fundies!
And, that's not a religious issue. Real Christians can be fine people. Self-deprecating rabid reichers who believe in Clarence Thomas' vision of violent assaults on women and children, and indoctrination in kids of values that start at pathological relative to diverse social reality and go downhill from there, can be judged on their actions, without touching theology or other aspects of religions they claim but are not.
While visiting links from this article, check out Rita's family's house pictures. They took on a really neat project, not easy along with running a business and political volunteer work. Besides, a bunch of nude people in a large hot tub often do far better work both on legal strategies and policy development for organizations than those who sit around a stuffy office conference table. Been there, done that, hope they do too!
Find More info -- HERE
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| Apples And Oranges | Jun 29th. at 12:47:01 am EDT
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arinna (Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina) - Email Me
First I support this woman and I will be making a donation to help her cause. I hope as many of us who can will do the same.
I must also say that our support is not hypocritical. It is one thing to stand up against a politician that wants to make his or her religion his or her campaign platform especially if that platform involves violating the separation of church and state that protects everyone's freedom of religion and quite another to use a politicians personal and largely private religious beliefs to defame them.
We all know the score. The majority of the public has heard more negative b.s. about Pagans and Wiccans than they have heard any true descriptions. A large number of the people hearing this news will NOT be thinking 'oh well she's just a harmless nature worshipper and it doesn't matter because she does a good job'. Too many of them will be thinking she sacrifices virgins, unbaptized babies and/or kittens on an altar dedicated to Satan while reading excerpts from Harry Potter to impressionable children who will later be enlisted to help her burn down their church.
If she were a Roy Moore style Pagan who was trying to have a stonehenge replica moved into the county courthouse in the middle of the night on the bogus claim it's really just a symbol of our legal heritage, then it would be completely valid for her religion to become an issue worthy of a protest. Then if we complained we really would be hypocrits.
Really it shouldn't be too much to ask that we live up to the constitution which demands that there be NO RELIGIOUS TEST in order to hold a public office.
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| Ah... Here It Is | Jun 28th. at 11:26:00 pm EDT
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AnnieBW (Laurel, Maryland) - Email Me
If you want to send your support, follow the link below to the Kennebec County Dems.
Find More info -- HERE
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| Invisible Pagans | Jun 28th. at 11:22:30 pm EDT
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Shadow Dragon (nashville, Tennessee) - Email Me
Normally Pagans are invisible to the public , even when we do bad things. They ( xians ) really go out of there way to make sure there are no hate crimes or any press. The last thing xians want is people to know there is an alt religion. Just by judging by there panic, THEY know we will replace them. The xian religion has failed to keep up with the modern lifestyle. They declare war on safesex.
I predict this will never get to major news media. It may cool off just for that reason. Because they don’t want people to know pagans exist . And they don’t want to catch xians doing hate crimes against pagans. That would mean they would have to give us the same rights as Jews and blacks. Or take their rights away. Can you imagine what it would be like to have the same rights as a Jew or black. Jobs, set asides, college funds, PLAY THE WITCH CARD with the cops. Its would be a good reason to convert.
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| Anybody Got The URL For The Maine Dems? | Jun 28th. at 11:16:54 pm EDT
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AnnieBW (Laurel, Maryland) - Email Me
If those narrow-minded a**holes up there won't contribute because they're afraid of a Witch in their midst, I'm gonna put my money where my keyboard is and donate - even though I'm in Maryland. Go Rita! Don't let the bastards get you down!
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| ... | Jun 28th. at 10:21:41 pm EDT
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Draken (Bronx, New York) - Email Me - Web
Do you smell Inquisition? 'Cause I smell Inquisition!
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