That’s right, Summer Solstice is coming and for activist Pagans that means more than just celebrating the equinox it means getting the word out to our government officials that we exist, we vote and we are watching them.

The following is this years Press Release for “I am”:
From: Pagan Unity Campaign
Subject: I Am Campaign
Date: May 21, 2008
Contact: Laura Jean Karr, Nevada State Chair
laurajeankarr@simpleabnormality.com
http://www.paganunitycampaign.org

Seven years ago the Pagan Unity Campaign began what has, for many,
become an annual tradition. We gathered our post cards and set to work
reminding elected officials that the United States is home to some of
the most diverse groups of people around; and Pagan Americans are one
of those groups. With one simple line, ‘I Am a Pagan _____,’ we
reminded elected officials in all 50 states that this is truly a
nation of religious diversity and that we expect them to work to
preserve that diversity and the importance religious beliefs of every
stripe hold to the American people.

As Pagans, our religious beliefs hold a special place in our lives,
but our religious beliefs are not the only thing by which we may be
defined. We are teachers, we are parents, we are students, we are
lawyers… and we are everything between. And just as importantly, we
vote.

It is once again time to take up the charge and remind elected
officials that we are American, we are here and that we not only pay
attention, but that we are proactive in addressing issues of religious
tolerance.

The Pagan Unity Campaign would like to encourage the Pagan community
to get involved during this important election year and send in
post-cards to current elected officials at the local, state and
federal level in addition to those who are running for office. Your
post cards should say “I am a Pagan ______” (as always, that blank can
be anything you wish it to be) and should be mailed during the week of
the Summer Solstice. The rest of the details are up to you.

Contact information for elected officials can be found below!

House of Representatives
Senate

Hillary Clinton
15 Old House Lane
Chappaqua, NY 10514

Barack Obama
Post Office Box 8102
Chicago, IL 60680

John McCain
2211 East Camelback Road
Phoenix, AZ 85016

Ralph Nader
Post Office Box 19312
Washington, DC 20036

Technorati Tags: I am campaign, laura jean karr, pagan unity campagin, pagans and politics, puc press release

As I have often wondered what laws were being changed on a religious climate, this evening I decided to check out what was currently before Congress. The following is what I found.

H.R. 3908: Loyalty to Our Legacy Act of 2007
Loyalty to Our Legacy Act of 2007 - Requires the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) to ensure that the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and the national motto “In God We Trust” are each displayed prominently in the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) on a permanent basis. Prohibits the AOC, in preparing and producing any exhibit or other material relating to the CVC, from removing or refusing to include any language, symbol, writing, document, or record on the grounds that they include a religious reference or Judeo-Christian content. Read full text here. This has been introduced to the House.

H.R. 2104: Public Prayer Protection Act of 2007
To protect the right of elected and appointed officials to express their religious beliefs through public prayer. Denies the Supreme Court and district courts jurisdiction to review any matter related to the alleged establishment of religion involving the expression of public prayer by any federal, state, or local government entity or a government officer or agent acting in an official capacity. Read full text here. This bill has been introduced to the House.

S. 2198: Andrew Larochelle God, Family, and Country Act of 2007
A bill to require the Architect of the Capitol to permit the acknowledgment of God on flag certificates. Read the full text here. This has passed the Senate and is in the House now waiting for a vote.

H.R. 2510
To amend title 31, United States Code, to require the inscription “In God We Trust” to appear on a face of the $1 coins honoring each of the Presidents of the United States.
Read the full text here. This has been introduced in the House.

H.R. 300: We the People Act
We the People Act - Prohibits the Supreme Court and each federal court from adjudicating any claim or relying on judicial decisions involving: (1) state or local laws, regulations, or policies concerning the free exercise or establishment of religion; (2) the right of privacy, including issues of sexual practices, orientation, or reproduction; or (3) the right to marry without regard to sex or sexual orientation where based upon equal protection of the laws. Read the full text here. This has been introduced to the House.

H. Con. Res. 12: Requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in the United States Capitol
States that the Ten Commandments are a declaration of the fundamental principles that are the cornerstone of a fair and just society. Requires a copy of them to be prominently displayed in the U.S. Capitol at such place and in such manner as the Architect of the Capitol shall designate. Read full text here. This has been introduced to the House.

S. Res. 35: A resolution expressing support for prayer at school board meetings
Recognizes that prayer before school board meetings is a protected act and expresses support for such prayer. Read the full text here. This has been introduced to the Senate.

H. J. Res. 13: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to school prayer
Read the full text here.

H.R. 2275: To restore the Free Speech and First Amendment rights of churches and exempt organizations by repealing the 1954 Johnson Amendment
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the prohibition against churches and other tax-exempt organizations participating in political campaigns or supporting or opposing candidates for public office. Provides that this repeal shall not invalidate or limit any provision of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971. Read the full text. This has been introduced to the House.

H.R. 1431: Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2007
Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2007 - Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to modify the definition of “religion” for purposes of coverage under that Act by requiring employers to make an affirmative and bona fide effort to reasonably accommodate the religious practices of employees. Read the full text here. This has been introduced to the House.

Technorati Tags: congress bills, pagan activism, Pagan Politics, religious bills

The Pagan Unity Campaign was founded by Storm Bear Williams in early 2001. The objective was to unite Pagans across the country in letting our state and federal leaders know that there was a large Pagan voting population in America.

The mission of the PUC: “ to unify the many diverse branches of Paganism in America. A lofty goal that has been tried many times before and not succeeded. However, we are not attempting to unify Pagans under a religious umbrella, but we want Pagans to come together under the banner of Freedom.”

At the groups inception they created and signed in a Pagan Bill of Rights which states:
1. Pagans shall have the same freedom to worship that is granted to followers of other religions.

2. Pagans shall have the same respect of all elected officials who represent them that is afforded to followers of other religions.

3. A Pagan parent’s religion shall not be used as evidence for the purpose of deciding child custody issues.

4. Pagans shall be free to work without regard their religion, and should be free from proselytizing and harassment at the workplace.

5. 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.

6. School district personnel and classroom visitors shall not proselytize or harass Pagan children while on public school property or at public school functions.

7. Pagans shall have the same freedom to exercise all of their rights as do all other American citizens.

8. 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.

9. Pagans shall have the right to redress when their religious rights are abused.

10. Pagans shall be able to wear sacred symbols of their faith in environments where followers of other faiths are free to express themselves similarly.

‘So Vote It Be’ is the PUC’s campaign that kicked off in 2002. The goal of this campaign was to provide voter education and registration to all peoples of Pagan faiths. This campaign is run leading up to local and national elections. For more click here.

The most well known of the PUC’s campaigns is the “I AM” project. This stands for sending a post card or a letter to our elected officials letting them know who of their constituency is Pagan. It stands to reason that the more our politicians understand that Pagans are educated and they are voting, that eventually the group as a whole will be known a serious voting group and start to get taken more seriously. This campaign was the first for the PUC and it began on February 9th 2001. The project has run every year during the Summer Solstice. For more click here.

The third on going project for the PUC is the Birthday Card Campaign. This campaign is designed to have birthday cards sent to their elected officials informing them of the voting Pagans in their area. For more click here.

Currently, the PUC is gearing up for it’s annual “I AM” campaign and if you are a Pagan that wants to stand up and be counted by your local and national elected officials now is the time to get ready for that movement. Follow the link above for more information on the campaign.

Technorati Tags: laura jean karr, Pagan Politics, pagan unity campaign, religious freedom

For years now the The Focus on the Family group has worked as hard as they could to over take what used to be something good for our country. The National Day of Prayer that was given to people of all faiths to take a day to pray in their own way no matter what religion they were has now been stolen by the group’s creation of The National Day of Prayer Task Force.

On the The National Day of Prayer Task Force website they state that they are the “National Day of Prayer official website” interesting that they don’t state on the front page that they are a privately funded task force and not what used to be the original government website for The National Day of Prayer. People do not learn that they are not the official group unless they first read through their mission statement on another page which states:

The National Day of Prayer Task Force’s mission is to communicate with every individual the need for personal repentance and prayer, mobilizing the Christian community to intercede for America and its leadership in the seven centers of power: Government, Military, Media, Business, Education, Church and Family.

This leaves me to wonder: Why is government placed first in their efforts and the family placed last?

On their What to pray for page, they list first our federal government leaders, then state leaders and then local officials. No where on their page does it ask you to join them in praying for your family or for your church.

While stating that this is a day for people of all faiths to celebrate if you want to help in any of the task forces events for that day you must sign an application that includes a statement of belief. You can read that form here. Oddly, enough the statement that you are required to sign is one of an evangelical view and excludes not only just the Pagans but the majority of the Christian and Jewish communities as well.

As to the theme of this years National Day of Prayer, what did our highest government official choose? Well, he didn’t. And did Congress come together to elect a theme that would welcome any citizen of any faith? No, they didn’t pick it either. The task force choose the “theme” for the national day of prayer taking a quote from the Bible and our president signed it into the governmental proclamation. What happened to our government not respecting an establishment of religion?

If you would like to take part in an open celebration for our National Day of Prayer you can ban together for your groups own prayer event or you could join in with the Inclusive Prayer Day and make a statement to the task force and our leadership that supports them by celebrating the diversity of religious freedom here in America.

www.InclusivePrayerDay.org

Technorati Tags: Ignorance, inclusive day of prayer, laura jean karr, misinformation, national day of prayer