by A. Kairi

Created on: April 28, 2008

The American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State brought separate lawsuits against the Veterans Administration; both lawsuits concerned the Veterans Administrations failure to make a decision regarding allowance of Wiccan Pentacle grave markers in National Cemeteries.

The VA announced reachment of a settlement Monday regarding the suit brought by Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, this settlement also resolved the ACLU's mirror lawsuit. The lawsuits requested that the VA be forced to make a decision regarding use of the Pentacle; the VA has now agreed to allow the Pentacle to be used as a grave marker in national cemeteries.

The ACLU and AU's lawsuits alleged many things including that the VA's hesitancy in approving the symbol resulted from President Bush's opinions towards Wicca. While Governor of Texas President Bush expressed his view that Wicca was not a real religion when he learned that the military allowed Wiccan soldiers to meet on military bases for religious services. He disagreed with the military's recognition of Wicca as a religion and stated that he wished the military would change their minds. The AU's lawsuit claimed that the VA's actions were based on Bush's opinions.

The AU and the ACLU also argued that the VA's practice of keeping a list of allowable religious symbols, while excluding others was in violation of soldier's constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of religion. The contradiction of soldiers who fight, and many who give their lives, defending our freedoms being denied the right to have a grave marker from their chosen religion was apparent to many. The subject was given much attention by the blogosphere and covered heavily on message boards where the VA received much criticism for their actions from Wiccans and non-wiccans alike.

The first request for a pentacle grave marker was filed with the VA by a Wiccan church nine years ago. The request was filed by the church on behalf of the family of a deceased Wiccan soldier. The VA neither approved nor denied the symbol. Had the VA denied the symbol then the soldier's family would have been able to contest the denial in court. During this time six other religious symbols were approved. One symbol was approved within weeks of the application.

The Va's refusal to make a decision concerning the pentacle effectively mired the families of fallen, Wiccan service members in legal limbo until the ACLU and AU intervened. The

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>