Ok, I wrote this essay a few months ago, before the VA was forced to add the pentagram to their list of available grave marker symbols. Here it is, let me know what you think about it! ^_^
VA and the Pentagram
The VA has refused to add the pentagram to its list of religious symbols provided for grave markers (Aradia B.). The VA needs to accept and approve the pentagram so that those who find it important, Wiccans, can have it engraved upon a loved ones tombstone. The VA does not recognize Wicca as a religion and has therefore refused to add it to the list. The pentagram should be added because it is a symbol representing the freedom of religion, because it represents Wiccans who die for our country and because the proper paper work has been filed.
The first reason the pentagram should be add to the VA’s symbols is because we have the freedom of religion. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” The pentagram should be added! The encircled star is a symbol of this freedom and a religious item that does so should be added (B.A. Robinson). In America we are allowed to believe in whatever religion we want or even choose not to believe in any if that is what we wish. The pentagram, a symbol that most witches use, shows just how free we truly are by allowing something that used to get you hung. Since any symbol represents freedom of religion it should be available if requested. There is a public listing for anyone to see of which religious symbols are available to those who wish to engrave something onto the tombstone if a deceased family member who has died as a soldier. You can find this list almost anywhere online but the pentagram, an encircled five-pointed star that is growing ever more popular, is not one of these. It is not that it hasn’t been requested; it’s just been constantly denied. For the past nine years the VA has been saying that the paper work was lost or that they were undergoing changes and could not file the requests until after these changes have been made. No changes have been made in nine years and there have been other symbols approved, such as the atomic whorl atheists use (B.A. Robinson). So why is it that the pentagram is constantly refused? By making excuses for nine years it shows that the VA doesn’t think that all religions are equal or should be treated the same.
The second reason the pentagram should be available for those who die at war is because it represents the Wiccans who die for our country. This religious symbol should be available for those who want it. It represents those Wiccans who give their lives for our country so that we may live in peace. There are around 1,800 active soldiers who identify themselves as Wiccans and if any of these were to die I would hope that at least in death their religion would be honored (B.A. Robinson). Since anyone who represents our country by dying for it should have their symbol available the pentagram should also be included. There are many men and women who lose their spouses, siblings, children, parents and friends to war. These people should at least be able to honor their loved ones by putting their religious symbol upon their grave marker (Aradia B.). Some of the religious symbols available are the Christian cross and even the atomic whorl that atheists use. If we don’t honor all religions why honor any at all?
The third reason the pentagram should be added is because when the proper paper work has been filed the VA will add the requested symbol and the pentagram has had all the proper paper work filed, multiple times. The pentagram should be added because the request has been filed many times over the past nine years (Aradia B.). There have been multiple times that the forms and everything have been filled out and sent to the VA. It seems, though, that it keeps getting lost. I find it ridiculous that the VA should be losing that much paper work when they know they should be keeping an eye out for it. After all, they know that the requests have been put it, they’re being sued over it by the Separation of Church and State for religious discrimination. Do they truly despise Wicca so much that they would rather be sued than to just allow the symbol? The VA has said that the symbols get added automatically when the request has been filed. Since the VA does add new symbols when the proper documents have been filled out the pentagram should be added. There have been multiple people who have filed for this and each one has been ignored. Other symbols have been approved in the time that the VA has denied the pentagram; this shows that there is no change in the documents occurring (Veteran’s Administration Needs to Approve Symbol). If there was a change occurring, like the VA has stated, then no symbols would be allowed to be added until the change was done.
The pentagram should be added to the VA’s symbols because we have the freedom of religion, it represents Wiccans who die for our country and the request has been properly filed. There are people who suffer day in and day out because they have chosen to go off to war and fight for our country. Should we not honor these people by allowing them their chosen religious symbol? Others are allowed theirs and it should be the same for everyone. This is America, the Land of the Free, where we have the freedom of religion! It disgusts me that this does not carry over into death!