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Bush Apologizes to Wiccan Widow
UPI ^ | Sept 2, 2007 | UPI

Posted on 09/02/2007 1:34:34 PM PDT by DogByte6RER

Bush apologizes to Wiccan widow

Published: Sept 2, 2007 at 10:16 AM

WASHINGTON, Sept 1 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush apologized to a Nevada Wiccan who was left out of a presidential meeting with relatives of soldiers killed in combat.

Rebecca Stewart, who sued to have the Wiccan symbol placed on her husband’s grave marker in a military cemetery, told The Washington Post the president called her to apologize. She said she explained to Bush the faith she and her husband shared.

Sgt. Patrick Stewart was killed in Afghanistan in 2005.

Stewart said she heard about the private meeting from her mother-in-law, who was invited. The president visited Nevada to speak at the American Legion convention.

Stewart told the Post she believed she had been excluded from the invitation list because of the lawsuit she filed to have the Defense Department place the Wiccan symbol -- a five-pointed star inside a circle -- on her husband's grave. She won the suit and the government added the Wiccan symbol to 38 others that were previously recognized, including a symbol for atheism.

While other Wiccans are known to be serving in the military, Stewart is believed to be the first to die in combat.

(Excerpt) Read more at upi.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 1stammendment; afghanistan; apology; bush; devilworship; diversitygods; fallen; freedomofreligion; freeexercise; fundamentalists; godisdead; highplaces; hypocrites; multicult; paganism; pagans; pc; potus; satanicsymbols; spiritualtrojanhorse; symbolicgestures; wiccan; witchcraft; wot
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To: ErnBatavia
Just last week I was over at the local cemetery getting familiarized, as we're laying my Dad to rest there day after tomorrow. I noticed that one of his "neighbors" has a Budweiser can emblazoned on his plaque.

First, my condolences for your loss.

Now to the Bud can "art"...I can still remember one heathen funeral where the family of the deceased had placed his two favorites in the casket...a 16oz can of Bud and World Wrestling Federation magazine.

Cause of death...stumbled drunk in front of a vehicle.

41 posted on 09/02/2007 2:47:04 PM PDT by lightman (The Office of the Keys should be exercised as some ministry needs to be Exorcised.)
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To: LilAngel

Satanic to you...

They don’t believe in Satan, Satan is a part of your belief system.

Oh really? He, the soldier who died for your Right to Freedom of Religion, doesn’t deserve...your respect to his Rights nor does his family?


42 posted on 09/02/2007 2:47:43 PM PDT by EBH
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To: DogByte6RER
The apology should have been based on the fact that this widow's husband gave his life in service to his country; NOT because of witchcraft, paganism or their Wiccan beliefs.

************

Not exactly: "U.S. President George Bush apologized to a Nevada Wiccan who was left out of a presidential meeting with relatives of soldiers killed in combat."

It was right of him to apologize for leaving her out of the meeting, and certainly it would have been right to offer condolences, but I think I get what you're saying. Wiccan beliefs are not the issue here.

43 posted on 09/02/2007 2:48:12 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: robertpaulsen

There is a process to get a symbol of faith placed on a military grave marker. Wiccans had been going through that process, but it had been quite slow, and claimed that others that started later had already been approved. Their claim of obstructionism may well have had merit.

While I am not a Wiccan nor do I share their beliefs, I do believe that in our society, they should enjoy the same freedoms as other faiths

Google the list with images of approved stones. It will surprise you.


44 posted on 09/02/2007 2:51:08 PM PDT by Starwolf
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To: EBH

I will not support satanism. If that’s what he was fighting for, and what he died for, I don’t owe him a thing. I’m not going to have satanism shoved down my throat, and pay for the “privilege.”


45 posted on 09/02/2007 2:57:22 PM PDT by LilAngel (Pray)
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To: DogByte6RER
She said she explained to Bush the faith she and her husband shared.

I'm sure she tried her best, but I'm afraid she didn't succeed, because Wicca is not a faith.
46 posted on 09/02/2007 2:59:22 PM PDT by Xenalyte (Can you count, suckas? I say the future is ours . . . if you can count.)
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To: Axlrose
"Having the symbols of the devil and devil worship in the place where the bodies of good Christian soldiers lie is an affront to common decency."

Maybe sweet repose can be found in a commonist cemetery.


47 posted on 09/02/2007 3:00:48 PM PDT by I see my hands (_8(|)
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To: LilAngel
I will not support satanism. If that’s what he was fighting for, and what he died for, I don’t owe him a thing. I’m not going to have satanism shoved down my throat, and pay for the “privilege.”

Wiccans don't worship Satan.

Just admit it. In your heart, you think only God-fearing Christians should be buried at Arlington. Am I correct?

48 posted on 09/02/2007 3:03:45 PM PDT by Drew68
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To: LilAngel

[Our] Dead heroes belong in a military cemetery.


49 posted on 09/02/2007 3:04:44 PM PDT by 5050 no line
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We need a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy for witches. If people choose to worship the devil in this country they are free to do so, but I don’t want to hear about it.


50 posted on 09/02/2007 3:05:44 PM PDT by KarinG1 (Opinions expressed in this post are my own and do not necessarily represent those of sane people.)
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To: LilAngel

You’re welcome to believe whatever lies you wish. I’m not required to endorse them.


51 posted on 09/02/2007 3:07:21 PM PDT by LilAngel (Pray)
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To: Axlrose

What’s Wicca got to do with devil worship?


52 posted on 09/02/2007 3:07:41 PM PDT by gcruse (...now I have to feed the dog as if nothing has happened.)
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To: 5050 no line

You’re right. And contrary to the knee jerk reactions, I never suggested otherwise. But satanic symbols do not belong on sacred ground.


53 posted on 09/02/2007 3:10:42 PM PDT by LilAngel (Pray)
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To: LilAngel

“No. I would forbid the display of satanic symbols for the purpose of advertising or proselytizing.’

You’re gonna like the Bill of Rights, once you get the hang of it.


54 posted on 09/02/2007 3:11:12 PM PDT by gcruse (...now I have to feed the dog as if nothing has happened.)
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To: donmeaker

8. Flaming chalice: Unitarian Universalist.


I thought it was a Flaming Leftist?


55 posted on 09/02/2007 3:11:53 PM PDT by Atlas Sneezed ("We do have tough gun laws in Massachusetts; I support them, I won't chip away at them" -Mitt Romney)
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To: elpadre
The President apparently left her off the list of attendees becuause of pending litigation- IMO.

Yeah, I'm sure that he personally dropped her from the list as he was typing it on his laptop. :=)

56 posted on 09/02/2007 3:16:05 PM PDT by Bob
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To: LilAngel

Then this should really scare you...

http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm/hmemb.asp

Its the list (with pcitures) of symbols that are approved for use on DoD grave markers.


57 posted on 09/02/2007 3:18:28 PM PDT by Starwolf
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To: KarinG1

Exactly. He could be buried with no religous symbol, some other symbol perhaps his unit or something.

His wife is making disrespectful scene out of this, no doubt for some agenda she has. We don’t need another Cindy Sheehan.


58 posted on 09/02/2007 3:18:47 PM PDT by Axlrose
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To: gcruse

It’s amazing how many “rights” liberals can find in a document they have even less respect for than a sacred burial ground for our nation’s heroes. Interesting how they think our troops sacrifice their lives for satan, and the rest of us should be required to show respect for their master.


59 posted on 09/02/2007 3:19:52 PM PDT by LilAngel (Pray)
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To: Beelzebubba

I once knew a UU who was a Republican. Really!


60 posted on 09/02/2007 3:20:33 PM PDT by donmeaker (You may not be interested in War but War is interested in you.)
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