Posted on 08/20/2004 11:59:43 AM PDT by Between the Lines
GREAT FALLS -- About a dozen pagans gathered at Town Hall on Monday to show support for Great Falls resident Darla Wynne. Last week, Wynne returned home from dinner with a friend and discovered one of her parrots had been beheaded and his heart cut out, she said.
A note attached to the back of Little One, Wynne's 8-year-old African gray parrot, said, "You're next!"
"I was frantic looking for his little head, and later I did find his heart," Wynne said tearfully. "They want me to leave this town. I feel so responsible for this. I shouldn't have gone out to dinner."
Great Falls Police Chief Mike Revels confirmed the threatening message to Wynne and said an investigation continues. Police found no evidence of a burglary and were unable to collect fingerprints, Revels said.
"Forensic evidence on the note was destroyed and there was no other physical evidence found," Revels said. "The case is ongoing."
Wynne, a Wiccan high priestess, filed a lawsuit in 2001 against Great Falls for invoking the name of Jesus Christ in council prayers. Federal courts ruled in favor of Wynne, saying the prayers were unconstitutional. Town officials, who have the support of the state attorney general, have appealed the case.
Last week's incident was one of a string of break-ins at Wynne's home. Great Falls police have responded to at least 10 calls of reported vandalism at her residence in the past year or so, Revels said.
"She's had a lot of problems," Revels said. "But we haven't been able to link anybody to any of the incidents."
Many of the town's 2,200 residents regard Wynne as a witch and disapprove of her pagan faith, she said. The vandalism has ranged from destruction of her cars to several of her animals being poisoned, Wynne said.
"No one will say anything," Wynne said. "They think they're protecting their own."
Katie Glenn of Asheville, N.C., said she was in Great Falls on Monday to support Darla and "let everyone know we're human."
"I find it deplorable to see other people, who come in the name of Christianity, judge others so harshly," Glenn said.
Wynne said she has endured numerous verbal and written threats. She received by mail a booklet, "Thou Shalt not Suffer a Witch to Live," and said a man yelled at her, "Witch, you're going down."
Twice last week before her bird was killed, Wynne said she received threats in the mail.
During Monday's Town Council meeting, about a half-dozen supporters gathered with Wynne outside Town Hall. Several more attended the meeting inside. Wynne's friends posted an e-mail about the beheading of her bird and people from both Carolinas, Texas and Detroit came to offer support.
Revels and several uniformed officers attended the meeting to keep everyone safe, the chief said.
Wynne's friend Donna Hudson of Columbia said Wynne has been persecuted by town officials.
"I believe all pagans, basically all Americans, should be concerned about the situation that has developed here," Hudson said. "The very community that should be supporting her is violating her rights."
Mayor H.C. "Speedy" Starnes wouldn't comment directly on the incident, saying only he believed the town still has a strong case.
Wynne said she will continue her court battle and won't leave town. She said she is saddened that her remaining parrot, Baby, is lonely for his companion.
"Birds mimic what they hear," Wynne said. "Baby cries because he's heard me crying and he's lonely for his friend, Little One."
A Norwegian Blue?
I have a Quaker Parrot, and sometimes she won't shut up! I've threatened to have give her to the dog for din-din but never beheading!
Bikers4Bush wrote:
Killing the animals is just wrong.
Oh dear,
I am torn...
I love Monty Python...
But I keep thinking of what I would do if someone did that to one of my animals...
But I keep thinking of the dead bird on the perch...
(Ok, I will laugh here and not let them know)
Sending the would be burglar into a frothing frenzy and beheaded the creature. Not wanting to waste any protien, cut out the heart for a quick protien boost to recover enery lost.
heartless bastard.
get it? heartless
African Grays are awfully expensive to do a hoax like that with.
I suspect that the harassment and possibly the parrot incident were done by the witch herself. The fact that she is using the courts to censor people shows she has some control issues.
Heck, people have vandalized their own cars in fake crime hoaxes.
:)
It needn't be *her* hoax. I don't know if I think she would do that to her own pet to make a point. (Hey, journalists: how long did she own the bird?) Any anti-Christian could have the same motivation. How about a neofascist, who hates witches (um, wiccans) and Christians, too?
I think that's Englebert's best ever song.
This is obviously the behavior of a deranged individual. Because I'm a heartless right-wing bastard with a whole set of social prejudices, I'm going to have to bet this is a hoax. It's obvious this fits solidly into the pattern. Even the DUers will probably not latch on to this woman's case as an example of Christian persecution here in America.
Not only are they expensive,
but they have the sweet personality of a 3 year old child.
~~argh~~ I can't imagine hurting a bird like that.
Cars can be insured.
It's different to just snuff a living thing that has been your pet and a meber of your family.
Most Wiccans are the "Save The Baby Seals" type. Not inclined to that sort of thing.
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