PAGAN POLICE CAN TAKE OFF FOR PAGAN HOLIDAYS: Novel concept of “equality” rippling through the UK

On the heels of the recent New Jersey school system vote to allow school children to take off for pagan holidays, it appears, in at least the UK, police officers are now allowed to do the same.

The Pagan Police Association claimed yesterday that it had been recognised by the Home Office as a “diversity staff support association” — a status also enjoyed by groups representing female, black, gay, Muslim and disabled officers.

Endorsement would mean that chief constables could not refuse a pagan officer’s request to take feast days as part of his or her annual leave. The eight pagan festivals include Imbolc (the feast of lactating sheep), Lammas (the harvest festival) and the Summer Solstice (when mead drinking and naked dancing are the order of the day).

Problematically, the pagan festivals also include Samhain (known to non-pagans as Hallowe’en), a day when police leave is often cancelled because of the high incidence of vandalism, violence and antisocial behaviour.

While the “news reporting” has been surprisingly (predictably?) biased against, misinformed, and dismissive of this new injunction (here and here), we’d like to welcome the news as another indication of diversity-as-festival.

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MAY DAY HAYMARKET FESTIVAL RECAP: Springfield, IL

The organizers of the 2nd Annual Haymarket Festival in Springfield, Illinois, did so on behalf of the people of Springfield. Organizer Drew Duzinskas said, “It’s about coming together in spring. I like to see cool things happen this time of year.” His intention in participating in the planning was to put on an event that people would enjoy and take home a positive message, as well as engender a sense of community. Spring was in the air in the form of mild temperatures and intermittent rain sprinkles, but that did not quash the spirits of the dozens of people in attendance. A maypole was erected, and many folks (self included) had fun running around and around wrapping streamers around the pole, in memory of the traditional fertility rites of spring.

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REPUBLICANS COME OUT STRONG AGAINST THE 666 CHIP: New Old News Feed (March 22, 2010)

Thankfully you don’t have to have a chip put in you…yet

“The sponsors of these bills, all of them Republicans and outspoken conservative Christians, claim that preventing the forced implantation of microchips is a civil rights issue: they seek to protect citizens from unwanted bodily intrusions by employers and especially what they depict as a big brother-esque government. Yet the technology to embed radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips into animals and people has existed since the early nineties, and so far no one has attempted a forced implantation of the populace.”

Call me pessimistic, but I’m sure this is on its way. Think: commerce.

Plus: Nuns and bishops against one another, sorcery = death sentence, police arresting people before they commit crimes, and more, more, more!

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UPDATE: PASSED!: NEW JERSEY APPROVES SCHOOL CALENDAR MAKING WICCAN/PAGAN HOLIDAYS LEGIT

School's out for IMBOLC!!!

UPDATE: According to our favorite NJ pagan on the scene, Mrs.B, the new holiday calendar has been passed. What does this mean for school kids in NJ? Don’t want to pass on any false info, but we think it means you can be excused from school for Samhain! Boo yah! We’ve got a call in to our little contact outside the meeting. Waiting to here back. Will keep you posted.

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NEW JERSEY VOTING RIGHT NOW ON MAKING WICCAN/PAGAN HOLIDAYS LEGIT!!!

The NJ Board of Education is currently in session.

This morning, the New Jersey Board of Education will vote to approve their list of religious holidays permitting pupil absence from school for the 2010-2011 school year.  Included for the first time on this list are the eight Pagan/Wiccan holidays, or sabbats.  If approved, this will mark the first time any state has approved Pagan holidays to a state calendar, and will set a precedence for other districts and states across the country.
—From Mrs. B Domestic Witch

We’ll keep you posted…

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