The Wiccans can finally have their religious symbol in national cemeteries:
A nearly 10-year quest by Wiccans to have their symbol added to the list of emblems allowed in national cemeteries and on government-issued headstones of fallen soldiers ended Monday with a lawsuit settlement.I think that if you lose your life serving this country, you should have whatever you deemed appropriate on your grave site.
The agreement was reached between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Wiccans who sued to include the five-pointed star in the list of “emblems of belief” allowed on VA grave markers.
Eleven families nationwide are waiting for grave markers with the pentacle, said Selena Fox, a Wiccan high priestess with Circle Sanctuary in Barneveld and a plaintiff in the lawsuit.
The settlement calls for the pentacle, whose five points represent earth, air, fire, water and spirit, to be placed on grave markers within 14 days for those who have pending requests with the VA.
“I am glad this has ended in success in time to get markers for Memorial Day,” Fox said.
The pentacle joins 38 symbols the VA already permits on gravestones. They include commonly recognized symbols for Christianity, Buddhism, Islam and Judaism, as well as those for smaller religions such as Sufism Reoriented, Eckiankar and the Japanese faith Seicho-No-Ie.
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It's about time!
