Pagans to Rally for Religious Rights

On the fourth of July, hundreds of Pagans will gather peacefully at Lafayette Park, across from the White House, and advocate for a Pagan military chaplain, request the availability of more religious symbols from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and call for freedom of religious expression. Organized by the Chesapeake Pagan Community, this event should bring some interesting issues to the forefront.

You may recall that President Bush said several years ago, in response to a question about the rights of Wiccans in the military, that witchcraft was not a religion. Despite his sort-of deflection of the question, by not addressing Wicca specifically but making a generic statement about witchcraft, the president has made it fairly clear that he's not a big fan of non-Christian religious groups. I'm wondering how he'll react when hundreds, possibly thousands of Pagans are hanging out right there in his front yard.

The Religious Rights Rally will feature speakers such as author Diana L. Paxson, Rev. Selena Fox of Circle Sanctuary, and Rev. Barry Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. The best part of this whole thing? It's not just for Pagans and Wiccans, because religious freedom has to apply to everyone in the country... otherwise, it applies to no one at all. What better day to celebrate our freedoms that on Independence Day?

Thanks to LadyWicca for the Link