Bush Apologizes to Wiccan Widow

UPI ^ | Sept 2, 2007 | UPI

[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.

[alchemist54]

A few centuries ago you would have been active in the inquisitions where Christians tortured and then burned anyone who did not convert to Christianity.Just for your information the pentagram does not stand for satan worship the top most point is spirit and the four points represent the four elements(fire,earth, air and water) and the circle represents all creation encompassed. The religion you keep mistaking wicca for is a religion started by Anton LeFay called the church of Satan.If you are going to be condeming anyone who is not a “Christian”please get the facts correct.Thinking like yours is why the only religion to persecute and kill throughout history has been Christianity.

[LilAngel]

Thank you. I knew there were still some gentlemen around here.

[Starwolf]

You are the one playing with words, my statements are clear:
Wiccan is not satan worshiping any more than Buddism is. If you do not understand that, your education in religous matters is serious lacking.

You are also dodging my question to you:
What other symbols do you object to other than the pentacle?

You do realize there is no New Testament justification for the concept of hallowed or sacred ground?

[Starwolf]

LilAngel stated her opinion on a subject that she felt strongly enough about to put up with all of this abuse. I commend her for it. The first amendment also guarantees freedom of speech.

She also has failed to make a rationale defense of her position in light of the law or facts. She is free to espouse the nonsense that she does, but the rest of us are equally free to show the many fallacies of her position.

[LilAngel]

LOL I love your last sentence! That gave me a real good belly laugh.

[LilAngel]

One more time. Satanic symbols.

[upsdriver]

You’re welcome. There’s a lot of nastiness and anger here, my advice would be to leave this thread. I am. Take care!!:)

[Starwolf]

One more time. Satanic symbols.

Again, which symbols do you consider Satanic? Just the pentacle or others?

[Killborn]

Good comment. But...

“Thinking like yours is why the only religion to persecute and kill throughout history has been Christianity.”

Yeah... You might wanna reconsider that statement.

[LilAngel]

Maybe they’ll turn on each other. Have a great evening.

[skeeter]

Former marine, eh?

[Timbo64]

Don’t you have some snakes to go handle tonight?

[I see my hands]

"The apology should have been based on the fact that this widow's husband gave his life in service to his country"

Why?

[Timbo64]

Your point is?

BTW, it is Marine with a capital M.

[elpadre]

Of course, you can say that about thousands of posts on FR blaming the President for anything and everything.

[Timbo64]

LilAngel, it never occurred to me that you were a woman. I would never talk like that to a woman in person and I will not do it on line either.

I am sorry that I called you those words.

[newzjunkey]

I was a little torn, but finally had to agree that any man who gave up his life defending me deserved the liberty of marking his final resting place however he wanted, regardless of how ridiculous it makes him look.

I've been through the process a couple of times and I have to say the gov't provided markers are quite limited in terms of design or inscription to keep a uniformity.

I don't remember my voiced position when the lawsuit first came up but recall it was at a time when I was waiting to see if the marker we had requested would reflect what we hoped in light of the callous, inattentive service received on site. Ultimately the marker was satisfactory if not what was desired.

Excluding her from this meeting shows grand stupidity. I'm sorry Bush was put in this position and I'd want to know who was responsible.

As far as the marker, the real point of contention was the foot-dragging over adding a Wiccan symbol to the already approved list. The excuse was the lack of a central or governing body for that faith. I guess this ultimately comes down to "free exercise thereof" and this I'm not surprised she was ultimately victorious in getting the symbol on the marker.

[LilAngel]

Apology accepted. Thank you for showing me your gentlemanly side. Have a wonderful evening.

: )

[wolfinator]

The president’s action just reinforces my opinion of what a great man he is.

[BfloGuy]

Man our President has sure lost his way. What moronic thing to do.

Wrong. It was exactly the right thing to do. The man's religion (or his wife's) has nothing at all to do with the fact that he gave his life for his country. It reinforces my faith in the President after a time where it's been sorely tested.