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Page: Profile: Wren's Nest News Local
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Article: 17469
[Pagan]
Date Posted:
3/13/2007
9:31:11 am EDT
Wvox Stats
Views: 12,061
RSS: 19,894
Comments: 31
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Update: Committee Rejects Wynne's Complaint About Police
Author: Nancy F. Parsons Source: News and Reporter (SC)
Title: COMMITTEE REJECTS WYNNE'S COMPLAINT ABOUT POLICE
  After numerous requests to the Great Falls town council, Darla Wynne finally got to voice her complaints about the police department to the police committee.
Wynne, in February 2005, appeared before the committee and complained about a lack of police protection. She said she played a tape with Police Chief Mike Revels saying he had been ordered by Town Clerk Julie Blackwell to ignore her and that he felt the order was given at the advice of former council member Barbara Hilton.
“I don't trust my police officers in this town,” Wynne said.
Wynne told members of the committee that her house has been vandalized nine times, almost everything in the house destroyed, blood was smeared on the walls, “die witch” written and her cat was killed.
Submitted by and Thanks to: JM Song
Additional Article Link: [Click HERE]
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Community Thoughts: There are 31 comments posted | Reverse Sort |
| Who's The Winner?? | Mar 15th. at 2:19:06 pm EDT
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Mysteries Child (Garfield, Arkansas) - Email Me
Post-lawsuit, it's harder to say "Jesus Christ" in an official setting.
Assuming this article is actually up-to-date, it's apparently no easier for Darla Wynne (or anyone else who sticks their nose out of the broom closet anywhere where the prevailing attitude could be summed up by the words "Burn the Witch!") to get what's really important-- protection from people who wish to do harm in defiance of the laws of the United States of America, or redress in the form of police action when protection fails.
I'm sorry, ma'am. I'm truly, truly sorry.
What I'm not, is surprised.
So...
...who won???
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| Strange Mix-up With This Article? | Mar 15th. at 8:50:34 am EDT
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Mar-Garet (Appalachia, Pennsylvania) - Email Me
I am starting to wonder what is up with this Article. I can't seem to reference it throught the link or the Search.
Also, in this interview with Darla Wynne at ExploringTheCauldron.com, which was done in October of 2005, she references the vandalism and the hurting of her pets.
[Web LINK]
Also, here's a fairly up-to-date page at ReligiousTolerance.org about the suit that Darla filed in US District Court...and won!
The town council voted unanimously to appeal the decision to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster filed an Amicus Curia (Friend of the Court) brief in support of Great Falls. A three-judge panel of the Court rejected their appeal on 2004-JUL-22. The judges unanimously agreed that the town council's prayers consisted of unconstitutional advancement of a single religion -- Christianity.
The town council appealed to the Supreme Court . On 2005-JUN-28, the Supreme Court declined to hear their appeal.
On 2005-SEP-15, the U.S. District Court for South Carolina found that Wynne "...is entitled to an award of costs and expenses in the amount of $1,791.91 and fees in the amount of $53,082.50 with fees and costs to be assessed jointly against all Defendants in their official capacity only." Thus, the town will have to pay costs, expenses, and fees, not the individual politicians. 8 The town is fortunate that Ms. Wynne only asked for injunctive relief only plus actual costs and expenses. If she had asked that the defendants pay a penalty for their violation of law, the town would have had to pay out additional funds.
Above from:
[Web LINK]
Most of the money that was won went to pay Attorney's fees. Darla also bought (with the help of the local pagan community) a security system.
So my feeling is that this article is outdated.
Darla stood up for her rights as an American Citizen. She went through hell, and won. Her case will be used in the future to defend "the little guy" against (yes) Creedism. :-) THANKS, DARLA for just being YOU!!
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| Hunch | Mar 15th. at 3:09:23 am EDT
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Roy Linford Adams (Buxton, Maine) - Email Me
I suspect it's either one of the cop's kids or the town committie's kids (or any combo thereof) who's commiting the crimes.
I've personally seen what a person with a little local political sway and a fist full of dollars can get away with.
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| Witches Anti-Defamation League: AREN | Mar 14th. at 3:38:22 pm EDT
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Mar-Garet (Appalachia, Pennsylvania) - Email Me
From their website:
-----------------
Twenty Eight years ago Dr. Leo Martello formed Witches Anti Defamation League ("Don`t just stand there: WADL!") in order to fight for the rights of Witches, Pagans and other Earth Religionists as the Country was beginning a revitalization of the Elder Paths of Religion. He lovingly and carefully crafted an Organization that is today one of if not the oldest Pagan Rights group in The United States of America. Dr. Leo changed the name from Witches Anti-Defamation League to Witches Anti Discrimination Lobby so the name would not be confused with the ADL (Anti Defamation League) .
In late 1996 Silver RavenWolf took WADL and began to "modernize" it and move it toward the Millennium moving WADL from the Pen and Ink phase to the Electronic Era. Crystal ~Mylove~ Dutton took WADL from Silver and again, built on whatwas started.
Reverend Debbie Johnson took the helm in December 1997 and carried it forward to begin networking between various groups. She changed "Lobby" back to "League". She worked for the good of the "Pagan On The Street" to bring protection from discrimination to each person who found themselves persecuted because they wore a Pentacle, read Tarot Cards or believed in a Goddess Figure rather than the Patriarchal God of the Judeo-Christian ethic.
Reverend Johnson stressed the need for Unity within the Pagan Movement, and to this end WADL has united with several National and Regional groups to form Sacred Earth Alliance, a group that is preparing a Directory for use by all Pagans listing Groups, Individuals, and organizations that are dedicated to Pagan Religious and Civil Rights.
In August of 1998, the presidency was passed on to Steven Foster. Mr. Foster (Silverlock) has shown an intense desire to move WADL forward into the 21st century by continuing the encouragement of Pagan Unity in all forms. Mr. Foster has also started an online movement to encourage all Pagans to register to vote as well as encourage them to get involved in their communities.
On January 1, 2000, WADL changed it's name to AREN (Alternative Religions Educational Network) so confusion between WADL and the ADL would no longer cause difficulties for either organization.
While the core of WADL remains within AREN (all representatives, directors, executive staff, by laws, and missions are virtually identical) , AREN hopes to move even further into positive proactivity. While it's been a long and wonderful journey for WADL, we hope AREN's journey is short. Our goal is to go out of business.
[Web LINK]
website is www.aren.org
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| Re: The Witches Anti Defamation League | Mar 14th. at 1:21:00 pm EDT
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Silverwing (Colorado Springs, Colorado) - Email Me
I heard on an interview on the radio one day that they were made to cease calling themselves that because the Jewish Anti Defamation League saw their title as an infringement or something. This interview was with some fellow from the Jewish Anti Defamation League. So, I'm not sure if they changed their name or just hung it up. That's the last I heard quite some time ago.
If anyone has any better info, please correct or update? I'm thinking the FBI really needs to look at this case in Great Falls though. Lots at stake here. Credibility of many people and possibly a life.
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| Failure To Protect | Mar 14th. at 4:33:52 am EDT
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J & V Enterprises (Sweetwater, Tennessee) - Email Me
I sincerely hope that Darla Wynne sees this. The best advice that I can give to anyone in a situation where the local law enforcement is utterly failing to do their sworn duty is to file a civil lawsuit. There is nothing like the loss of a large sum of money to wake up a small town government. I know the term in my location is Failure to Protect, and I believe it is similar throughout the rest of the US.
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| ASBO Lane | Mar 14th. at 12:57:16 am EDT
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Moonlight Wolf (Bradford, England) - Email Me
This is a clear case of neighbours from hell.
These people SHOULD be dealt with. If they lived in a British Council House they would have been evicted.
The house has been vandalised, a cat killed. Why won't the police do anything?
Another option is to write to a local newspaper or magazine and bring this behaviour to other people's attention.
No one should have to suffer from anti social behaviour.
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| ... | Mar 13th. at 10:36:11 pm EDT
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Draken (Bronx, New York) - Email Me - Web
I say this again: Why hasn't anyone called the FBI on these Forrest Gump meets Barney Fife incompetents? This is an obvious case of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and perjury committed by these throwbacks.
I hope Wynne shows this comment to all the hicks in Great Falls, since she's likely the only one there with an internet connection.
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| One Can Be A Lonely Number... | Mar 13th. at 9:56:23 pm EDT
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bigcat (peoria, Illinois) - Email Me
I fear she may end up having to move at some future date. Especially since she is one against an entire community dedicated to driving out those people they find "objectionable".
The moment these narrow minds see something that they feel marks a person as "different" they automatically label that person as "nutty" or "crazy" and refuse to grant any credibility to any statement they might make. And these people have practiced that crap for years.
And when you cannot trust the city council-or the cops to help you when you need- that is a town that is not worth living in.
I do see her point in staying, because it is her home, and leaving would only justify the perpetrators, but one's safety should also be considered. One can only do so much.
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| No Comment | Mar 13th. at 7:54:44 pm EDT
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arinna (Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina) - Email Me
I tried to post a comment at the end of this because one of the comments made me so mad. Corby wrote - (paraphrase) Poor Darla, what else did she expect. To which I wanted to add:
Of course she could have expected something else. She has every right to expect the law to be enforced and her civil rights protected. If I remember right the whole reason she ended up fighting with the town over the prayer issue in the first place was that she appeared before the council to complain about a crack house. Someone noticed a bumper sticker on her car that identified her as non-christian and whammo suddenly not only are they praying in Jesus's name in the meetings but the whole town is looking at her to see if she bows her head too. The intent was to ostracize her for not being of the right religion and that's why she won her prayer case. Then the retaliation started and the murder of her pets. Murdering the pets was bad enough but they left a note on the beheaded parrot after they cut his heart out warning "You're next" Tell me honestly WHO would ever expect THAT from 'good christuan people'? And why would anyone put up with it?
It wouldn't let me post the comment though. Some kind of glitch with the verification word. Oh well. I have to say I respect Darla. She could run away from the problem and if she was strictly acting on self interest that would probably be the best decision. But running away leaves the perpetrators feeling victorious and emboldened and only encourages other small towns to try to get away with treating minority religions worse because they can get away with it.
The whole story reminds me a little of Walking Tall only she's not carrying a big stick..... But, maybe she should.
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| It's Time To Fight Back | Mar 13th. at 7:54:33 pm EDT
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Ander s. Drake (hays, Kansas) - Email Me
Thats right you heard me it's time to fight back, just becasue wicca's believe in avioding confontions donesn't mean this lady should bow down and keep taking punishment from what sounds to me like the community at large. It would not supprise me if the police open the door to let the vandlis in. if your going to stay in a bad situlation then make some plans to fight back like get some camerias, do file a complaint with the fbi, improve your sercuity measures charles Barson style, get big mean loveable dog or something,or just get a sign that says beware of dog some times that make people think twice. Most of all get a support group, some people with like minds and stop going to that spuid town meeting they don't seem to want to help her so go above theri heads. maybe if there are no people there of like minds then move some where people are more friendly. It's not quiting just making a chioce that is better for you personal.
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| Time | Mar 13th. at 7:53:24 pm EDT
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Kate (Athens, Georgia) - Email Me
While I admire this woman's determination not to be intimidated, I can't help but believe it's time she moved on. She's living in the Bible belt, in a small town in the state that is known for its narrow-minded view of things. She can only continue to come up short in the overall scheme of things.
These people are not going to change. Why should they? They have had it their way for a long time - still do - and see no reason to accomodate an outsider. They lost a court case on the subject of prayer before meetings. Nothing really changed other than they learned to hate more. They are died-in-the-wool fundies who see anyone, ANYONE, who does not see things their way as being of the devil. They are told every Sunday morning how right they are and how wrong everyone else is. The man in the pulpit says it's so therefore it must be so. These people are sheeple, being led around by ministers who have their own agenda - power.
At some point, Darla must decide if her quality of life, personal safety, the safety of her innocent pets, her sanity, is more important than making a point. With the current administration in Washington there's no way things are going to change. Calling in the FBI will only get her more bad publicity.
It's time to move on. There are places in this country where she can live in safety and with peace of mind. She needs to find one of those places. She sounds like she has a lot to offer. She's spending her life fighting a losing battle. Time to find a locality where she can be a contributing member of society and quit wasting her time fighting idiots.
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| Darla's Problem With These Folks Is Long Standing | Mar 13th. at 7:05:39 pm EDT
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Stormsinger (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) - Email Me
It started when she showed up at a city council meeting, after numerous calls to the police, to demand that they take action against an obvious crack-house in her neighborhood. It was, I believe, at that time that they noticed the bumper sticker, and the religious persecution was on. Darla already has sued and won a First Amendment ruling against the City Council for praying repeatedly "in Jesus' name" at these Council meetings even after being respectfully requested to be less sectarian. They have already laid out several tens of thousands of dollars in the vain attempt to overturn that ruling, even though they lost at every step of the way.
Someone needs to ask these people if they want the protection of their houses, goods, children and pets to be dependent on whether or not they are LIKED well enough in town? What if someone decides they don't like your new car, your new church, your lawn ornaments, your politics and ON THAT BASIS, ignore your requests for police assistance in the face of vandalism, animal cruelty, and threats of violence. And while we're at it, you want crack with that? You can get it right down the street...
And would they, in the face of this, fold their tents and leave, leaving the victory to the abusers, the vandalizers, the harrassers, the drug dealers? Many would. Darla hasn't, and I can only admire her stubbonness and courage. I'm not sure I could do it.
Doing the right thing is not always popular, easy, or fun. But it's still RIGHT.
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| POLICE.... | Mar 13th. at 3:37:57 pm EDT
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Whitewolf (Schenectady, New York) - Email Me
should be held to the same standards as Pharmacy peple are.... either do your job or GET OUT!
Love to all
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| Since When... | Mar 13th. at 2:04:38 pm EDT
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Ursyl (Murrysville, Pennsylvania) - Email Me
does being considered a "pain in the arse" to the local government mean that your basic civil rights, including the right to equal protection under the law, are now null and void?
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