LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY neadods)

Second page of the Post today is an article by Alan Cooperman about how Sgt. Patrick D. Stewart's spot on the Veteran's Memorial Cemetary is blank.

That's because Stewart was a Wiccan, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has refused to allow a symbol of the Wicca religion -- a five-pointed star within a circle, called a pentacle -- to be inscribed on U.S. military memorials or grave markers. The department has approved the symbols of 38 other faiths; about half of are versions of the Christian cross. It also allows the Jewish Star of David, the Muslim crescent, the Buddhist wheel, the Mormon angel, the nine-pointed star of Bahai and something that looks like an atomic symbol for atheists.

The article goes on to say that 11 other symbols have been approved while the Wiccan symbol is held up, even though the Federal Government accepts Wicca as an official religion and has done so for 20 years.

A retired Army chaplain lays it on the line: "It's such a clear First Amendment issue, I can't even conceive of why they are not granting it, except for political reasons," he said. "I think the powers that be are afraid they'll alienate conservative Christians if they approve a symbol that connotes witches and warlocks casting spells and brewing potions."

x-posted to personal journal