Hoping & Praying & Casting Spells

This is what I've been up to this week, with three collaborators: Maureen Duffy-Boose, Ellen Evert Hopman, and Nancy Machin of Pagan Educational Network. We four live in different parts of the US (Utah, Massachusetts, Indiana and California). I think it's also fair to say that we represent the diversity of American Paganism (Ellen is Druid and the rest of us are Wiccans or Witches of one sort or another). I want to thank these colleagues publicly for helping to make this happen, especially Ellen, whose original idea it was, for nudging us to speak up as a demographic.

We (not exactly the same "we"; "we" meaning an ad hoc group of Pagans) did this once before when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the lower court's ruling on Newdowe v. Elk Grove Unified School Dist., et al., a lawsuit to remove the words "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance. That press release was issued on July 4, 2002, Independence Day.

This time it was my desire was to release this on October 12, Indigenous People's Day (fka Columbus Day). I chose that date arbitrarily for two reasons: (1) I think time is of the essence in terms of the administration's plans, and (2) I like issuing these things on "patriotic" days. I guess you could say I like the magic of the timing.

I know we rushed this. I felt a sense of urgency. I don't know how widely this will eventually circulate, and I am not so naïve as to think it will do much good in terms of influencing the administration, but I do believe it shows solidarity among Pagans, concern for the commonweal, and a willingness to stand up and be counted. The more we can act in solidarity, the more seriously we may be taken as a valid voting block.

You are free to circulate this widely. In fact, if you'd provide a copy to your local press (newspapers, radio and TV), that can only help. You may also wish to print this and send it to your elected representatives.

I'm viewing this as a big spell-working.

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Press Release

PAGANS OPPOSE MILITARY INTERVENTION IN IRAN

October 12, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Ellen Evert Hopman saille333@mindspring.com 413 323 4494 East Coast
M. Macha NightMare herself@machanightmare.com 415 454-4411 West Coast

We are an ad hoc group of Americans who practice diverse Earth-based religions. We affirm the wisdom of peace, tolerance, and justice. These principles are consistent with the values and beliefs of our Pagan religions. We seek to exist in goodwill and fellowship with all peoples, cultures, and nations. In so doing, we express our love for the Earth and acknowledge our interconnectedness with all living things.

In the face of escalating international tensions regarding Iran, we urge the use of diplomatic actions for a peaceful resolution of differences. We reject any rush to military action, since we believe that diplomatic means will lead to a safer, more just, and more constructive solution. Therefore, we call on our political leaders to use diplomacy to create goodwill, peace, and harmony among nations, religions, and peoples.

Organizations:

Ár nDraíocht Féin (ADF)
Assembly of the Sacred Wheel
Cherry Hill Seminary
Chesapeake Pagan Community
Church of All Worlds
Coalition of Earth Religions (CERES)
Connect DC
CUUPS-Continental
The Dragon’s Cauldron
Green Egg Zine
Lady Liberty League
Order of the WhiteOak
Our Lady of the Wells Church
Pagan Educational Network
Reclaiming
Sacred Space Foundation
Sierra Madrone Grove, ADF
The Suppressed Histories Archives

Individuals:

Maureen Duffy-Boose, President, CUUPS-Continental, Salt Lake City, UT
Ellen Evert Hopman, Co-Chief, Order of the WhiteOak, Massachusetts
Nancy Machin, Pagan Educational Network, Indiana
M. Macha NightMare, P&W, San Rafael, CA
Rev. H. Byron Ballard, Coalition of Earth Religions, Asheville, NC
Jo Carson, Fairfax, CA
Max Dashu, Oakland, CA
Gus diZerega, Ph.D., Sebastopol, CA
Ivo Dominguez, Jr., Elder, Assembly of the Sacred Wheel, Delaware
Holli S. Emore, Columbia, SC
Cerridwen Fallingstar, Forest Knolls, CA
Rev. Sean W. Harbaugh, Sierra Madrone Grove, ADF, California
Caroline Kenner, Chesapeake Pagan Community & Sacred Space Foundation. Washington, DC
Rev. Robert Lee (Skip) Ellison, Archdruid, ADF, East Syracuse, NY
Sabina Magliocco, Ph.D., Northridge, CA
Rev. Patrick M. McCollum, Director, Our Lady of the Wells Church Moraga, CA
Michael McDermott, M.D., Wisconsin
Katrina Messenger, Founder, Connect DC, Washington, DC
Nava Mizrahhi, Oakland, CA
Ariel Montserrat, Editor, Green Egg Zine, Tennessee
Anne Newkirk Niven, Editor in Chief, PanGaia Magazine, California
Penny J. Novack, Elder, Step by Step Tradition, Buckland, MA
Rev. Rayna Ardren Owens, Ph.D., Miami, FL
Beth Owl’s Daughter, The Dragon’s Cauldron, Durham, NC
Lynn Pacifico, New York, NY
Lauren Raine, Tucson, AZ
Angela Roberts Reeder, Baltimore, MD
Vibra Willow, P&W, Reclaiming, California
Michael York, Ph.D., San Francisco, CA
Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, Church of All Worlds, Cotati, CA