+---------------------------------------+ : P A G A N S T R E N G T H W E B : +---------------------------------------+ The Pagan Strength Web is a new network within Circle Network formed to protect religious freedom for Wiccans and other Pagans and to give spiritual support to those harrassed because of their religion. The Web emerged this October to get rid of Federal legislation aimed at denying tax exempt status to Craft groups. Here are some ways to participate in the Pagan Strength Web and help it with its work. Letter Writers - The Web needs people to write letters to lawmakers about any legislation, such as the Walker Bill, which threatens religious freedom. The Web also needs people to write the mainstream news media with compliments of good coverage of Paganism and complaints of slanderous reports. Group Contacts - In order to get calls to action out to even more people more quickly in the future, we are compiling a special list of group contacts for Pagan Rights work. Every Wiccan Coven, Goddess Circle, Magickal Lodge, and other Pagan Group that wants to be part of the Pagan Strength Web and notified of emergency alerts needs to select a contact person to be responsible for quickly relaying information to the rest of the group. To be a group contact, write the Web c/o Circle as soon as possible with the following information: your name, address, and phone, plus your group's name and orientation. This information will be kept confidential and used for Pagan Rights alerts and other special reports only. Lawyers - Circle is compiling a special list of lawyers interested in working with the Pagan Strength Web by providing counsel to individuals and groups in need and/or helping defend Pagan religious freedoms in the courts. Interested lawyers should contact us as soon as possible with the following infor- mation: your name, address, phone, short summary of legal training and experience, background in Paganism. Also, please specify what services you are willing to donate and what fees would be charged for other services you may provide. Reporters - We need people to keep us informed of positive and negative coverage in all types of media. We especially need people to monitor the fundamentalist Christian media for in- stances of slanderous attacks on Pagan religions. In addition, the Web needs people to report on instances of discrimination, harrassment and other persecution, as well as on efforts to uphold Pagan religious freedom in your local area. Updates and reports we receive on Pagan Rights issues and actions will be published in this new Pagan Strength Web section of CIRCLE NETWORK NEWS, unless those who give us reports specify otherwise. In cases of emergencies (such as the Helms Amendment), alerts will be issued by phone and through first class mailings. Contributors - The Pagan Strength Web needs money in order to do its work. Money is needed to pay for printing and postage of special mailings and is especially needed to pay for all the phone calls we have made and are still making in connection with Pagan Rights work. Even though Amendment 705 died, we have continued to make calls to stay updated on other legislation that is still in the works. In addition, we have been on the phone more than ever before providing help to Pagans who have been per- secuted because of their religion (reports of some of these cases are published on this page). Donations, large and small, are needed in order for the Rights services of the Web to continue. All donations are still tax deductible. Make checks payable to Circle and specify that donations are for the Pagan Rights Fund. Magick Workers - The Web needs individuals and groups to send healing and strength to Pagans who have been attacked for their beliefs. Remember them in your meditations and energy workings. Any spiritual support you can give to those in need does make a difference. Having experienced persecution several times our- selves, we know this very well -- the energy received from Pagans, including those who had never met us, very much helped us get through our times of crisis and helped give us the strength to continue with our work. We hope that our readers will send healing energy to everyone listed in the Circle of Strength section in this and future issues. TO CONTACT THE WEB: Write Pagan Strength Web, Circle, Box 219, Mt. Horeb, WI 53572 USA, or call (608) 924-2216. _________________________________________________________________ LEGISLATIVE UPDATE ... WALKER BILL, HR 3389 The wording and intent of the Walker Bill is nearly the same as the Helms Amendment, except that it does not mention Satanism at all and it stands on its own, rather than being an amendment. Introduced to the House on September 19 by Congressman Robert Walker of Pennsylvania, it is presently in the House Ways and Means Committee. While the Helms amendment was defeated as well as the similar amendment Congressman Schulze (a friend of Walker's) tried to attach to the massive Tax Reform Bill in Oc- tober, it appears that Walker is still trying to find some way to get his bill, HR 3389, passed. The Tax Reform Bill may be considered by legislators as early as this February or March, and some of our contacts on Capitol Hill have warned us that there may be another attempt to get le- gislation passed that could affect tax exempt status of Wiccan churches. PLEASE WRITE your Senators and Representatives right away and state your opposition to the Walker Bill and any similar legis- lation. Focus on the importance of preserving the country's Freedom of Religion. Keep us posted on your efforts and any replies you get from those you write. Thanks! _________________________________________________________________ CIRCLE OF STRENGTH These pagans have been harrassed because of their religion. Please remember them in your healing meditations and rituals: * VIRGINIA THOMPSON, Box 5564, San Diego, CA 92105 She was harrassed on the job because of her Craft religion and in September was fired. She is in the midst of fighting her dismissal through legal channels. Send her healing and strength. Send energy for a speed and positive resolution to her case. Please write her if you have any knowledge of litigation regarding job harrassment due to Paganism. * ARTHUR of North Carolina In October, he had his personal Druidic altar confiscated, and other harrassment intensified. In January, he was dis- missed from the Army with a less than honorable discharge. He is now contemplating a lawsuit. Send him and his family healing and strength. * PAT TOBIAS, Spider's Web, 333 Beale Street, Memphis, TN 38103 She and her magick shop were evicted from the previous loca- tion in Spring 1985 because of her religion. While the new shop location is working well, she is now experiencing some new personal harrassment because of her religion. Bless her and her shop with protection and success. Please contact her if you know a good lawyer, preferably near Memphis, to help her on Pagan religious issues in court. * OZ in Abuquerque, NM This past Fall, a positive article appeared about Oz in a high school newspaper stemming from a talk she gave there explaining the differences between Satanism and Witchcraft. Some parents took offense that a Witch was allowed to speak in the schools and a slanderous attack on Oz and the Craft was broadcast on a show no a Christian television channel. Send Oz healing, strength, and protection so that her posi- tive work on behalf of the Craft can continue. * GROVE OF THE UNICORN, Box 13384, Atlanta, GA 30324 Intolerant "Christian neighbors" desecrated the Grove's outdoor Temple several times, tearing down stones from the Circle, stealing religious objects, and planting a cross in the fire pit. One of the desecrations was done in full view of TV cameras and shown on the evening news along with slan- derous attacks on the Grove and their Wiccan religion. Lady Galadriel and the Grove have responded by going public and speaking out on the positive nature of the Craft to local and national media, and the importance of freedom of religion in this land. The Grove is filing lawsuits. Send them spi- ritual support to help sustain them through the harrassment and legal battles. Send energy so they cand find another site for their temple. Send them money to help defray their growing legal costs. _________________________________________________________________ SPECIAL THANKS TO ... * Everyone who helped defeat Amendment 705 with your letters, calls, networking, and magick. * Everyone who duplicated our Alert mailing and gave it wider circulation. * Everyone who sent us copies of your letters to legislators and reports of your other work to defeat 705. The information you sent helped us monitor what was happening nation-wide with the protest. Since we received hundreds of reports, it has been necessary for us to state our thanks here instead of through in- dividual letters to you. Yet, each of your letters was read and very much appreciated. * Everyone who sent us donations for the Pagan Rights Fund. Because of your financial support, we were able to mail out even more alert flyers and do other Pagan Rights work. * Barry Lynn and the ACLU for all the work they did with 705 and for their continued work with us regarding other legislation still pending. If you would like to express thanks to them per- sonally, send letters and donations to: American Civil Liberties Union, 122 Maryland Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002, attn: Barry Lynn.