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Page: Profile: Wren's Nest News Local
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Article: 20267
[Pagan]
Date Posted:
12/14/2008
9:53:18 am EST
Wvox Stats
Views: 4,136
RSS: 16,015
Comments: 15
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Woman Claims NU Fired Her For Being Witch
Author: Associated Press Source: Nebraska TV
Title: WOMAN CLAIMS NU FIRED HER FOR BEING WITCH
A woman has filed a lawsuit against the University of Nebraska, claiming she was fired because she is a witch.
The filing says the woman, who practices witchcraft as her religion, was hired by the university in February 2007 to direct a youth program. She was fired when it was discovered that she was a witch.
Additional Article Link: [Click HERE]
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Community Thoughts: There are 15 comments posted | Reverse Sort |
| Not Surprising | Dec 16th. at 6:17:50 pm EST
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Mavido (Beech Grove, Indiana) - Email Me
I do understand the bias this woman has been subjected to. 6 years ago I lost my job after being "outed" as a pagan in front of the CEO and the COO of the company. The MidWest is a difficult place to be "different".
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| Sigh... | Dec 16th. at 3:41:41 pm EST
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Elistra (Lexington, Kentucky) - Email Me
If you work in the Midwest, or in the Bible Belt of the South, or in Appalachia, basic self-preservation would strongly urge you to keep any non-christian religious beliefs to yourself.
Unless you work in an occult bookstore or some place like that, I don't understand why ANYONE in these places so much as sticks a toe out of the broom closet. It's just not worth it.
For me, it's not that difficult. My values are a great deal more conservative than those of most pagans... indeed, if you judged it strictly by moral views and opinions regarding lifestyles, I have more in common with most evangelicals than most pagans I've known. *shrugs*
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| All Too Common.... | Dec 15th. at 9:14:57 pm EST
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bigcat (peoria, Illinois) - Email Me
While there are many who may not mind working next to a Pagan- there are those more than willing to backstab in order to rid the workplace of someone they consider an abomination, even though the Pagan in question has done nothing at all to warrant this attack. In fact, one doesn't have to be a Pagan at all, but someone who may have a different opinion about something that the person finds offensive. One would be surprised at how absolutely petty some people can be-- and- I have found that among Fundies, the more biblically rabid they are, the more petty they are and the more righteous they feel about judging others by such a narrow view.
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| Really... | Dec 15th. at 12:32:35 pm EST
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Silver Faery (Hays, Kansas) - Email Me
If you are in Kansas, Nebraska or any of the states lined up in the mid-west, unless you really know your boss and company is ok with your religion. Keep it to yourself. I have watched friends loose jobs in Kansas because their boss found out their religion and found a way to get rid of them within a week. Plus in the state of Kansas, your employer is allowed to terminate your employment with them without stating the reason, it's state law. Please be careful, this day and age it's hard to find a good job. Sorry but yes even though I am open about my beliefs, there are times and places not to mention it...as well as not mentioning it to your boss unless it really conflicts with your beliefs! In my case, I am at two jobs where both places know, both places have no issues...except for on. Three of a Five man crew is Pagan, we cannot do our job if all three of us requested our religious days off. So we work around our runs (shifts) and still get the main major holidays off in the process.
Silver Faery
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| Nosy Neighbor Outages | Dec 15th. at 11:41:14 am EST
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Snoozepossum (Mooresville, North Carolina) - Email Me - Web
If the NEOC has decided she has a case, it's highly probable that the situation is unprofessional and questionable enough that they can't just blow it off.
Staying in the broom closet gets trickier in direct proportion to how nosy and paranoid an observer may be. You can be outed just by getting caught looking at the wrong book or section of a bookstore, or for speaking politely to someone an overzealous fanatic objects to, or drinking herbal tea when you have a cold.
"An it harm none", your off the clock activities shouldn't be any of your employer's business or concern. But it doesn't always work that way, and some people's definitions of "harmful" include any thinking different from theirs (or thinking at all) . Whether or not it gets messy depends on how controlling, punitive, or attached they are to their prejudices.
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| More Info... | Dec 14th. at 10:00:47 pm EST
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Strix (Duanesburg, New York) - Email Me
Here is a link the newspaper story that was the basis for the TV blurb. Still no specifics although apparently the Nebraska Equal Rights Commission has already supported her position. Interesting to scroll down the page to see the reader comments!
Strix
Find More info -- HERE
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| Not Surprised | Dec 14th. at 8:55:46 pm EST
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GrayWind (Papillion, Nebraska) - Email Me
I too am not surprised... Even though Omaha is a fairly large city, the state still has its roots in a very right-wing christian history... and the present isn't all that different from my perspective!
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| Hard To Decide | Dec 14th. at 7:09:59 pm EST
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Aritimi Morgana (RotterdamJct/Schdy/Scotia, New York) - Email Me
The articles don't give out much info on the person being fired, so I have no idea if she was a good employee or not.
The fact that she claims she was fired over religion does bother me though, and if this is a case of religious discrimination, I hope her efforts are successful.
I also read the commentary section from the JournalStar's piece, and the slew of comments are astounding. A lot (once you get past the first bunch) are in support of this woman.
I also have to note with sad irony of the fact this woman has chosen to use a pseudonym to protect herself. It makes me sick at heart to think that in this day and age we still can't be taken seriously as pagans. Many of us are still so afraid to come out of the broom closet because we fear losing our jobs, our livelihoods, our children because others have outlandish notions of what pagans are. I cannot say it enough; we as a pagan community NEED to stop bickering and come together to stop incidents like this from continuing.
I have not told many of my personal beliefs because of the same fears; I don't think my job is at risk because I know my bosses are good, open-minded people. But in regards to family I risk being categorized as the family nutcase and disgrace because of my beliefs. SO I have to keep quiet, and it is so agonizing at times.
I wish the best to this woman in her search for justice and if she truly has been discriminated against due to beliefs, she deserves reparations.
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| NU | Dec 14th. at 4:07:56 pm EST
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Ahr-Ohn (Bridgeport, Connecticut) - Email Me
I'd be surprised, if it happened at Northeastern University, as they have much better legal advice. It's not like she belonged to the DAR.
I think she should have done the Christian Thing, and kept her religion in the Broom Closet, but someone else may have insisted she take part in those Pagan Rites that worship The Devil Jesus.
Mind you, while Jesus was lawful scion to an Arch Devil, Sophia- Mother of God, the practice of involving his name in Devil Worship would have come more from that Euniche Lawyer of Tarsus, who succeeded The Apostle Judas Ischariot. Come to think on't, who did provender that Council of the Goddess Nicea?
So, this was at the University of Nebraska, which might better be designated the UN? I understand the most eager Christians, in the Inquisition, had been the least educated, so attendance unto Teachers had best be added, to the Cast-Outs and Shut-Ins.
Arawn Graalrd
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| Looks Legit, For A Change | Dec 14th. at 3:07:41 pm EST
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Dana Corby (Anderson Island, Washington) - Email Me
If you click on the link, the article it takes you to says that the Nebraska Equal Opportunities Commission finds (at this stage) that she probably was discriminated against. I hope she wins!
After that last few such claims, each turning out to have had other factors involved, it's good (in a weird way) to see one that's the real deal getting the publicity for a change. For one thing, the differences between this and the other 'discrimation' stories we've seen illustrate that perhaps we're not a 'persecuted' as we thought.
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| Nebraska Native | Dec 14th. at 12:32:48 pm EST
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Sayuri (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) - Email Me
being from nebraska, this really doesn't surprise me. i was also wondering the same things as lori. all in all, if everything checks out right i hope she wins.
Find More info -- HERE
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| Discrimination Never Really Ends... | Dec 14th. at 11:48:47 am EST
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bigcat (peoria, Illinois) - Email Me
Nebraska is one of those biblical states and it wouldn't surprise me that this should happen.
I hope she wins.
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| Details Missing | Dec 14th. at 10:49:22 am EST
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Lori Dake (Chicago, Illinois) - Email Me - Web
I read both articles, and one thing that is missing here is how she was outed.
Did she say something to someone at work?
Did she have a website up with her picture on it?
Was she wearing a Mercedes-sized pentacle around her neck, ala Flava Flav?
Did she try to start a group at the college?
Obviously, it doesn't matter how her boss found out, because she's entitled to her job no matter what. However, I must admit I'm curious if she was being flippant about it with the "Lookit Me!" attitude, making the behavior itself a key factor in her being fired.
Just asking for facts. k thx bb
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| ... | Dec 14th. at 10:48:23 am EST
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