Witch Hunt Called Off in Colorado
Ramah mayor apologizes to pagans
(update from previous story...link here)
By JANE REUTER
The Gazette
RAMAH, Colo. (AP) -- Mayor Tamra Herrara has apologized to a pagan group whose plan for a Halloween gathering cast the small plains town as a modern-day Salem.
The Calhan-based coven of about a dozen members rented Ramah's American Legion Hall for an Oct. 29 fund-raiser for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.
The Rev. Tim Tucker, minister of Ramah Baptist Fellowship, tried to get the town board to block the gathering at a work session Aug. 25 called to discuss the pagan celebration.
Herrara's apology followed a scolding Tuesday from fellow trustee Nicole Allen, who said she was embarrassed by the board's behavior at the work session, saying it was an attempt to violate the group's civil liberties.
"All I can say is we do as a board apologize," Herrara told members of the Secret Garden Coven at Tuesday's meeting. "This has never come up before and never will again."
(Read entire article here)
There is one person who seems determined not to let this issue die, and that is the resident who began the petition, Annette Manchego:
"It is not proper," she said of the pagans' beliefs. "We say 'one nation under God,' not 'goddesses."'
Who wants to be the first one to point out to her that the words, "under God" were not included in the document until 1954? The Founding Fathers were not Christians, per se, but Deists -- quite contect to allow everyone to define his own religious beliefs as he saw fit, and also determined that religion not become mandated by the State.
(update from previous story...link here)
By JANE REUTER
The Gazette
RAMAH, Colo. (AP) -- Mayor Tamra Herrara has apologized to a pagan group whose plan for a Halloween gathering cast the small plains town as a modern-day Salem.
The Calhan-based coven of about a dozen members rented Ramah's American Legion Hall for an Oct. 29 fund-raiser for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.
The Rev. Tim Tucker, minister of Ramah Baptist Fellowship, tried to get the town board to block the gathering at a work session Aug. 25 called to discuss the pagan celebration.
Herrara's apology followed a scolding Tuesday from fellow trustee Nicole Allen, who said she was embarrassed by the board's behavior at the work session, saying it was an attempt to violate the group's civil liberties.
"All I can say is we do as a board apologize," Herrara told members of the Secret Garden Coven at Tuesday's meeting. "This has never come up before and never will again."
(Read entire article here)
There is one person who seems determined not to let this issue die, and that is the resident who began the petition, Annette Manchego:
"It is not proper," she said of the pagans' beliefs. "We say 'one nation under God,' not 'goddesses."'
Who wants to be the first one to point out to her that the words, "under God" were not included in the document until 1954? The Founding Fathers were not Christians, per se, but Deists -- quite contect to allow everyone to define his own religious beliefs as he saw fit, and also determined that religion not become mandated by the State.
posted by Chimera at 10:00 AM
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