Interfaith Religious Rights Rally - July 4, Washington DC!

[AnnieBW]

Interfaith Religious Rights Rally To Be Held at Farragut Square Park on the Fourth of July

Wiccan Soldier's Widow to Speak About VA Approval of Religious Symbols

June 23, 2006, Silver Spring, Maryland--An Interfaith Religious Rights Rally will be held at Farragut Square Park between Noon and 4 PM on America's birthday, the Fourth of July. The rally is in support of universal religious tolerance and free exercise for all religions, as guaranteed in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights.

Speakers include:
o Rev. Barry Lynn, spokesperson of Americans United for Separation of Church and State
o Jared Leland, Esq., spokesperson for The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty
o Phyllis Curott, Esq., author and priestess
o Rev. Selena Fox, senior minister of Circle Sanctuary
o Caroline Casey, radio host and author
o H. Byron Ballard, United Religions Initiative
o Diotima Mantineia, editor, The Witches' Voice
o Roberta Stewart, widow of Sgt. Patrick Stewart

Our most special guest is Roberta Stewart, widow of Sgt. Patrick Stewart, who was shot down in Afghanistan in 2005. Sgt. Stewart was Wiccan. Currently, the Veterans Administration has approved 38 symbols of faith that may appear on veterans' memorial plaques, but the Wiccan pentacle is not among them. Roberta Stewart is coming to Washington for the first time to speak out about this violation of her husband's Constitutional rights.

For more information, call Caroline Kenner at 301-412-1760, email [e-mail] or Angie Buchanan at 847-456-4833, email [e-mail]. Thank you!

[Jaundice James]

1. Is there any kind of..

"official" site for info on this? I want to read more. -JJ

[AnnieBW]

2. Try This Link

It's not an "official" site - I asked Caroline yesterday about putting up an official URL, but she said that there wasn't time. So go to this link:

http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usmd&c=words&id=10928

BTW, it's not just for Pagans. We have an Imam coming to speak, and are trying to contact Christian, Ba'Hai, and others.

[Jaundice James]

3. That doesn't quite do it. Maybe you can answer...

I'm trying to figure out if this "Religious Freedom" thing is organized by the left as a reaction to the Religious Right, or if it'll contain both "sides" with the potential for some yelling across the police tape.

In other words, are we competing with the Right to DEFINE what this day means? -JJ

[AnnieBW]

4. This isn't a RW Rally

It isn't a RW "whine about how Christians are being persecuted" rally, if that's what you're thinking. It's a gathering of minority religions to show that we are out there, too, and have a right to worship as we choose under the Constitution. As for shouting across fence lines, I certainly HOPE there won't be any of that!

[Jaundice James]

5. Nice...

I'm atheist, myself, but I dig the concept because I'm with you that the RW Christians think they own the place.

I hope it gets some good media coverage. I'll try to spread it around the atheist blogs. They'll dig it too. -JJ

[AnnieBW]

6. Thanks!

We need all of the support we can get. Like I said, it's not just a Pagan rally, although the people organizing it are Pagans. All of us need to stick together. Like Jack on "Lost" says, "we have to live together or die alone."