Question to the floor

[knight_of_the_star]

I received this e-mail from a local mailing list I'm on:

Merry Meet all,
Does any one know anything about Pres. Bush trying to take away the
right for our Wiccan Military to practice their chosen religion on
base. Also I heard that he has repealed the tax-exempt status for
Wiccan organizations, such as Witchvox.com. I am trying to find a
list of tax exempt religions and I can't find anything. I believe
this happened a few months ago and I missed the info. If anyone has
any further info and/or could lead me to any links that I can get
info from, I would really appreciate it.
Thanks in advance,
Kerie

Anyone know anything either way about that in terms of actual policy?

[htuttle]

1. A google search didn't reveal any changes

And I'm not sure how he could overturn the tax exemptions unless he got the Supreme Court to overturn Dettmer v. Landon (which ruled that Wicca is a religion for the purposes of first amendment protections).

I wouldn't be surprised if Bush tried to revoke the tax exemptions some other 'administrative' way, but I couldn't find anything about it.

[Love Bug]

2. I recall in 1999 when Bush was still governor of Texas

In 1999 a group of Wiccan GIs got in the paper in Ft. Hood, Texas when a local fundy church found out they were permitted to hold rituals on base. The fundy groups made a big stink about it and then GA Rep. Bob Barr tried to get a law passed barring this practice, even though that law would be a clear violation of the Wiccan's constitutional right to religious freedom. At the time Bush was interviewed on Good Morning America (he was already campaigning) and he said (my paraphrase) "I don't think witchcraft is a real religion and I don't think they should be allowed to practice on base."

http://www.religioustolerance.org/boy_arm3.htm - Bob Barr quotes

http://www.religioustolerance.org/boy_arm2.htm - George Bush quote

http://www.religioustolerance.org/boy_arm1.htm - other responses

Now, if anything has been done by Bush since then, I think we would know about it by now. WitchVox would certainly be on top of such a development.

[stanwyck]

3. Poor Bob Barr

our crazy Georgia legislature fundies have two sanctity of marriage laws up for consideration which would cost, literally, Bob dearly. (he's on marriage number 3...or is it 4?). These laws, designed to strengthen marriage, would make divorce more costly and harder to obtain. One would also deny property to an adulterous partner (!). Sorry, Newt. You're now homeless.