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2006-07-06 Home Front: Culture Wars
Nevada man believed to be the first Wiccan killed in combat
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Posted by tu3031 2006-07-06 09:12|| || Front Page|| [11133 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#1 Thank you for your service, Sgt. Stewart. Blesséd be.
Posted by Seafarious">Seafarious  2006-07-06 09:47||   2006-07-06 09:47|| Front Page Top

#2 I'm an athiest who firmly believes everyone has the right to believe what they want. Patrick Steward did the right thing and deserves to be honored for what he did. That's all.
Posted by phil_b">phil_b  2006-07-06 09:55|| http://autonomousoperation.blogspot.com/]">[http://autonomousoperation.blogspot.com/]  2006-07-06 09:55|| Front Page Top

#3 IIRC, while the VA will provide a free headstone, nothing precludes a privite one as long as it meets certain height and size requirements for the cemetary.
Posted by Ebbavitle Omomotle4723 2006-07-06 10:02||   2006-07-06 10:02|| Front Page Top

#4 Looks like they need to approve a 39th symbol then.

Appreciate your service, Mr. Stewart.
Posted by ExtremeModerate 2006-07-06 10:08||   2006-07-06 10:08|| Front Page Top

#5 This isn't about a headstone. The body has been scattered. This is a political issue important to the living only. I don't know the other side of the story, but short of a swastika, hammer & sickle, etc. I could care less what meaningless, to me, symbol people put on their plaque. Whatever.
Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-07-06 10:10||   2006-07-06 10:10|| Front Page Top

#6 "Freedom OF Religion" so in my view if you worship ants, the devil or God you should be allowed your due freedom right.

I dont agree with the Wicken thing but if that was his choice so beit.
Posted by C-Low 2006-07-06 10:15||   2006-07-06 10:15|| Front Page Top

#7 It means nothing to me - but it meant something to SGT Stewart - and evidently to his wife, and others who knew him. He gave "the last full measure of devotion" - he deserves to have the faith that he practiced displayed just as much as anyone else. Give him his pentacled plaque.
Posted by Lone Ranger 2006-07-06 10:20||   2006-07-06 10:20|| Front Page Top

#8 Thank you to Sgt. Stewart, condolences to his family, and a foot up the hind end of the Dept. Vet. Affairs idiots who are holding this up.

Get it done, and give the man the memorial he deserves.
Posted by Steve White">Steve White  2006-07-06 10:37||   2006-07-06 10:37|| Front Page Top

#9 Speaking as a conservative Christian (Catholic), as far as I'm concerned, Wicca is generally just a bundle of recycled newage trash. But it doenst offend me - unlike radical Islam, its not out to hurt anyone.

The way I see it, it is every American's right to worship as he pleases as long as he isnt violating anyone's rights in doing so. So I see no reason for them to deny the symbol as long as its an upright star. This is typical tight-assed-ness on the part of the VA. A combat death is a combat death, and he swore the same oath to "uphold and defend", so should get the same treatment.

(The inverted pentacle is offensive as it is a satanic symbol of long use)

In my opinion, the article takes an unjustified swipe at conservative christians as the source of the delay - more likely its flat out ignorance and bureaucrats at the VA. Anyone that has dealt with the VA knows what I'm talking about.
Posted by Oldspook 2006-07-06 10:59||   2006-07-06 10:59|| Front Page Top

#10 In the final book of C.S.Lewis' Narnian Chronicles, as the world of Narnia faces its Armageddon, the Lion Aslan (who, it has become clear, is the allegorical Christ) says, it doesn't matter at which god one lays his worship; good deeds in the Other's name always go to Me, evil done in my name always goes to the Other. Give the man his pentacle; his deeds are laid at the feet of the Good.
Posted by trailing wife 2006-07-06 11:24||   2006-07-06 11:24|| Front Page Top

#11 Good point, TW. I'm a conservative Christian, think Wicca should be acknowledged as a religion, with the accompanying separation of church and state, and Sgt. Stewart should be recognized for his service, rather than be discriminated against. We all owe our freedoms to the Constitution and any who dies to preserve them for the rest of us should be acknowledged posthumously. I truly don't think anyone will be overlooked in the hereafter either by the righteous Judge of all, as everyone will give an accounting for their own conduct. He's proved himself worthy.
Posted by Danielle 2006-07-06 11:53||   2006-07-06 11:53|| Front Page Top

#12 #6 "Freedom OF Religion" so in my view if you worship ants, the devil or God you should be allowed your due freedom right.

Let's not forget they ever popular pedophile prophet and his cute little jihadi death cult. The main pillar of the WOT is to identify Islam as a death cult, rather than a religion, therefore, no rights exist for Islam in any form.
Until that time, Islam slowly wins the WOT. The debate has started, now let's all pile on. Let's demand Islam be labeled a death cult, a teacher of violence and a basis of slavery.
Let's fight to win.
Posted by wxjames 2006-07-06 12:27||   2006-07-06 12:27|| Front Page Top

#13 I don't believe Sgt. Stewart's brothers and sisters who are buried in the cemetery would mind if he had a pentacle on his memorial. He fulfilled his oath to his country and deserves to be honored like every other soldier there.

Blessed be, Sgt. Stewart, and thank you for your service, from all the members of my family (a Catholic, a nondenominational Christian, an atheist and a pagan).
Posted by Swamp Blondie 2006-07-06 15:11|| http://azjetsetchick.blogspot.com]">[http://azjetsetchick.blogspot.com]  2006-07-06 15:11|| Front Page Top

#14 From a practical standpoint, I don't think that the Veterans Affairs should be required to spend the money to retool their equipment for every single god that one can choose to worship. That said - 1800 and growing is a significant number of soldiers and thus it's not an unreasonable request.

We each choose the God we want to worship (or not at all) and that choice should be respected as it is, in my opinion, what you are taking into the hereafter.
Posted by 2b 2006-07-06 15:26||   2006-07-06 15:26|| Front Page Top

#15 my uncle, a WW2 Marine who fought in the pacific theater, and a Fernley local for 70+ yrs, was buried there 2 years ago. Nice little cemetary.
Posted by Frank G 2006-07-06 15:31||   2006-07-06 15:31|| Front Page Top

#16 There are Wiccans in Fernley, Nevada? Trust me: that's news in and of itself. Seriously, though, the man served his nation honorably. Let him have the symbol he chooses on his grave.
Posted by Secret Master 2006-07-06 15:52||   2006-07-06 15:52|| Front Page Top

#17 This is a job for Hillary.
Whatever the soliders want. limited to 26 minutes carving and grinding.
Posted by 6 2006-07-06 16:37||   2006-07-06 16:37|| Front Page Top

#18 Right on TW. Coincidentally I finally got around to buying the Chronicles of Narnia. I enjoy those books, especially "the horse and his boy" - good stuff. Anyways, I agree w/y'all on Sgt Stewart. Put the pentacle up & be done w/it. When I was training recruits I had more wiccans in my companies than Muslims or Jews put together for whatever reason. Eerrily enough, the platoons w/the most wiccans somehow seemed to win all the final drill competitions.
Posted by Broadhead6 2006-07-06 19:29||   2006-07-06 19:29|| Front Page Top

#19 As a Christian, who has had trouble with most established Churches, I feel for this fellow and his wife. I am embarassed for us as a country when someone who has a faith and association cannot have what is important to him & important for his family. Some bureaucrat, has one crosswise up its backside.

Posted by BigEd 2006-07-06 19:53||   2006-07-06 19:53|| Front Page Top

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