The Political Witch

     As I listen to the poilitical news of 2000 Election over the radio, I can’t help but think what a tremendous responsibility it is, choosing the next president of the United States.  It may sound cliché, especially in an era where more people seem to be interested in the president’s sexual escapades than his policies, but he still makes decisions and policies that can effect our entire planet, and the person who takes his place will have that power as well.  The United States, through everything from foreign policy to pop culture, has become one of the focal points of the world not only militarily, but socially, economically, and politically as well.  Also, as we have seen from the Persian Gulf and Serbian conflicts, the Unites States, or more specifically the President of the United States, is sometimes called upon to make very serious decisions where loss of life and serious environmental damage can occur.  Even with our nations’ carefully crafted system of checks and balances, the President of the United States wields tremendous power on our planet, and tremendous responsibility to go along with it.
     What, you may ask, does this have to do with me?  Well, besides the political implications of the office of the President, or any public office for that matter, there are more local effects that everyone, especially members of minority religions, should pay careful attention to.  For instance, when the candidates talk about religious issues, like Wiccans in the military or putting the Ten Commandments in schools, we should pay close attention.  Separation of church and state is a precarious balance, and if it tips in the favor of one religion, all other religions will eventually suffer the consequences.  We as Witches and modern Pagans have fought hard for our religious beliefs to be recognized and protected over the years, but the unfortunate truth is that even now, in this new millennium, our hold on religious freedom is tentative at best, and if a new, more conservative religious agenda is adopted, our beliefs would quickly come under fire by those who don’t even truly understand them.  We saw it last year with Rep. Bob Barr of Georgia, attempting to pass legislature that would prohibit Wiccans from practicing their faith while members of the US military.  The motion was, thankfully, voted down, but how many Wiccans from Georgia voted for Barr to put him in office without knowing his agenda, or even worse, just didn’t bother to vote at all?  I was actually involved in a similar situation in Massachusetts during the 1998 Governors’ race, an event the WLPA covered in detail.  Candidate Paul Cellucci made some very negative remarks against Witches in a political advertisement.  Many Massachusetts Witches, literally thousands from the response we got, were outraged at the ads and demanded a public apology, yet Paul Cellucci still won the race and became governor by a small margin, less than 5% of the vote.  The worst part of the issue was that the vast majority of Witches we spoke to didn’t vote, or weren’t even registered to vote in that election!  Think about that; if those thousands of Witches had voted, the outcome of the entire election might have been very different and Scott Harshbarger, the man that as state Attorney General had actively fought for Witches’ rights, might have become Governor, instead of a man who obviously believes that freedom of religion only applies to ‘popular’ religions.  As the fastest growing religion in the country, we can certainly make a difference and make our collective voices heard.  
     It is called the right to vote, but it is really more of a responsibility, the responsibility to choose who will lead us, who will make our laws and spend our taxes, who will launch our troops and our missiles into battle should the need arise.  Anyone who is eligible to vote should make their opinion heard should get out and vote, but I believe that as Witches and members of other minority religions we have a deeper responsibility, because quite honestly we have more at stake.  We need to listen to the candidates, read about them, and pay attention to their stand on things like religious freedom, separation of church and state, and tolerance.  We need to get out and vote for the candidates, both local and national, who support the rights of minority religious and tolerance for all people, and we need to encourage others to do the same.  In this new ‘Information Age’, all this information is at our fingertips with the media, cable, satellite, and especially the Internet, but most people don’t use it.  It has been true for thousands of years, and it is still true today – knowledge, information, is power.   As we enter the Year 2000 political race, I encourage you to arm yourselves with this power, know who your local and national candidates are and what they represent, and don’t be fooled by party lines – with many candidates today the lines between Democrat and Republican are getting blurred as the issues get more complex and the people get more aware – it’s not all black and white anymore.  Also, don’t count out independent candidates; many have been very forward-thinking candidates, and the independent movement has made huge inroads into the political arena in recent elections.  Finally, get out and be heard; get registered, and vote! Try to vote in the primaries also, where there is typically a very small voter turnout and your voice can be heard even louder, but make sure you vote; the religion you save might be your own.

Blessed Be!!