This group has come together believe it or not because of a rant I posted about the Pagan Bill Of Rights. ((Rant Follows)) At this moment we are a small bunch of Pagans, with hopes that others who feel the same way will join us. How do we feel? We feel that Pagans should receive the same rights as follower of any other Religion. Based on the Constitution of the U.S.A. we are in fact granted the same rights as all others. However, we do live in the real world where those rights are not always there. We of For Pagan Rights have come together to lend our voices for the Pagan Community. So that the community as a whole can be heard.
Pagan Bill of Rights (This is a RANT!!!)
We are supposed to be living in a Country where we (and I mean everyone when I say we) have freedom of speech and freedom of assembly and freedom of Religion. Funny how it seems that only works in some cases. In the real world or at least in the real America it's not always the case. Pagans do have to deal with their Religion being brought up in custody cases, I know a couple who have been fired from there places of employment, evicted from there homes and harassed just because they are Pagan.
Is it fair? Hell, NO!!! But it is the way that it seems to be. Unfortunately it will be the way of life for us Pagan's until we do pull our voices together and stand side by side and tell the Leaders of this Country we are not going to stand for it any longer. "We are not going to go quietly into that good night!!!" We need to come together as a community and fight for our rights, the same rights that it says in the Constitution that we have as American citizens.
I know that there is a major part of our community who lives in "The Broom Closet" and for good reason, for the same reason, FEAR... I understand that fear. I have been there. But there are enough of us "Out of the Broom Closet" that we can ban together and lend our voices to and for the Pagan Community and tell our side.
A small hand full of us can't do it alone. As I said, We need to come together as a Community and do it.
Only then will there be enough of us to be heard... Only then will we be allowed to live our lives with out fear. Without the thought that if someone finds out I'm a Pagan I'll lose my job, my home or even worse, my children.
If every Pagan who reads this would send it to there Governor, Representatives and to Washington, then maybe, we could get what we as American Pagans want, deserve and was granted to us by our Government Document that is suppose to be the bed rock of this Country, The Constitution...
PAGAN BILL OF RIGHTS
ONE - Pagans shall have the same freedom to worship that is granted to followers of other religions.
TWO - Pagans shall have the same respect of all elected officials who represent them that is afforded to followers of other religions.
THREE - A Pagan parent's religion shall not be used as evidence for the purpose of deciding child custody issues.
FOUR - Pagans shall be free to work without regard to their religion, and should be free from proselytizing and harassment at the workplace.
FIVE - Pagans shall have the same freedom to conduct their lives that is given to followers of other religions, within the boundaries of the law, without interference by or discrimination from representatives of their local, state or federal government.
SIX - School district personnel and classroom visitors shall not proselytize or harass Pagan children while on public school property or at public school functions.
SEVEN - Pagans shall have the same freedom to exercise all of their rights, as do all other American citizens.
EIGHT - Pagans are entitled to the free exercise of their beliefs and rituals and must be protected from the interference of others during the practice thereof.
NINE - Pagans shall have the right to redress when their religious rights are abused.
TEN - Pagans shall be able to wear sacred symbols of their faith in environments where followers of other faiths are free to express themselves similarly.