4. — OUT IN THE MOUNTAINS e MARCH 1998 or A ("H 5*"’VI'-=¢, halfurll foods store Spec 1'; /iziny in la H‘), A I , - _ food‘ M“! PFOJUHKS U a t of]-Ham t"°<’"¢¢ ' vitamins . spices - lzodycatrc ‘ Looks ~ 73!:-5 —‘=V¢.~'A7¢s ~ snacks yriocery L2» ken’ ciuzesg ~ 1, OITM 0 newsj. . - OITM is seeking interns. Students from any college that has internships, and which is in an area that OITM delivers to can help the community while getting credit and important experience. Call 865 9294 for more info or email oitm@together.net -o Coming in April — A new feature for OITM: questions send them to PO Box-177 Burlington VT 05402 or email to SAGASAGE@aol.com ' .1 o OITM WISH LIST! ! an advice column. If you have any — Hand truclY‘f 1.1 5.19: F‘? E ': 1 M It 5": :71 *. '. ii‘. ‘. -. 2: ‘ i:. 72 -,4:.‘r‘.7's~»,.+:.i", .r,..._».v,‘:..».n.'f. BY ANDREW J. CAMPBELL As some of you are paint- ing eggs for Easter, others are getting the eggs ready for some- thing else. No, they're not cook- ing up an omelet or plotting to egg your house. They're prepar- ing for the holiday of Ostara, the beginning of Spring. Ostara, which falls this year on March 20, is the Vernal Equinox, the midpoint between the Winter and Summer Sol-K stices. The day and night are of equal length at this point, and according to many, all other more than just an art —— it is a religion — known to its mod- ern-day followers as the "Old Religion”. Its heritageiis found in pre-Christian Western Eu- rope, as long as 25,000 years ago. Because of its pre-Christian roots, it is foolish that many be- lieve Witchcraft involves devil worship. Witches "have never worshipped Satan. Rather, they find religious faith in the duotheism of a Goddess and a God. When asked about Witch- craft, many GLBT people utter "huh?" Even with such a liberal community, some get inflamed by the idea that Witches exist. These attitudes are ‘spurred by the fear engendered by early Christianity. As an attempt to exterminate Pagan beliefs and practices, the Church conjured up the misconceptions that pre- vail American culture»- today. Today, if a famous actor was caught in bed with some- one, the 6:00 news would report sexual conduct between the ac- tor and the other person, even . _ if nothingsexual'OC.curred._This >-. rxI1t“t'1'11'5*.‘- rm 1*’: 1-r.-5-1 i zit’:-ti is the kind of situation Witches were put in. Their practices were perverted into a false image. As always, behind the hogwash, there is reality. Broomsticks are a symbol of fertility in Witchcraft. A com- mon fertility ritual involved par- ticipants holding broomsticks between their legs, dancing in a circle while leaping high to show the crops how tall to grow. This ritual, a form of sympathetic magic, shape-changed into the image of Witches flying on broomsticks. . Large cities were the first other religions, and in that time they were black to camouflage themselves in the night sky. This is why Witches are always pic- tured in black. The image of a Witch with a broomstick, a conical hat and a black robe is only the common stereotype. Still other miscon- ceptions prevail contemporary culture. The God of Nature, who is pictured with horns similar to the animals, is often mistaken for the devil bypeople outside of the religion. Today, Witches have made many advancements. In 1986, a Witch from Virginia fought a le- gal battle in the Federal Appeals Court that has made Witchcraft recognized as a legitimate reli- gion by‘ the U.S. government. Many groups of Witches are nowirecognized by the IRS. as a legal church. All I can say is, "we've come a long way, baby.” In their own struggle for human rights, Witches have al- ways supported gay, lesbian, bi- sexual and transgendered, people. The marriage of Witches, known as a Handfasting, has historically been open to same- .4 ‘:i1|:" ‘v2$_l:,-'1 5111,‘. ountains sex joining. GLBT people play an importantrrole in the religion of V’ Witchcraft. We teach that "all are equal in the eyes of the God- dess.” , i ._ So this year, when you're painting Easter eggs, stop to think for a minute. Did you re- alize that Witches have done the You can always ‘ natural forces are in balance to be Christianized in early same thing for ages? The egg is \ I so who are these folks times. Therefore, most of the a symbol of new life. Each year. IOOK who celebrate Qstara anyway? Pagans, including Witches, lived on Ostara, Pagans paint eggs to us, They practice an ancient Earth— in the country. Everything, in— and bury them, representing f th oriented religion, worshipping cluding religions, took a long new life coming from the Earth. 0 r e a Goddess, or Earth Mother_ The time to move from the cities to If you take nothing else from this d majority would identify them— the rural areas. So when the tall article, take the words of Chris - selves as Pagans. However, a conical hat was the latest fash- Moes: ”Hey, we're not ALL I large sum of them practice the ion in the cities (it actually was), Christian!” ' I reiigion, science and art of it took time to reach the country f Witchcraft. These Pagans are people. By the time Pagans were e those we call witches, wearing them, it was out of fash- Forget everything you ion in urban society. Christians Andrew I. Campbell is a founding r thought you knew about pointed at Pagans, saying they member of Vermont Open Circle of 9 witches, They don't taunt chi1_ were "out of fashion”. Still today, Wicca 8' Wicce, a public ne0—Pagan n ~dren or fly on broomsticks" (for the Witch is pictured wearing church and non-profit organization C when was the last time you saw this outrageous hat. based in Addison County. someone ride through the sky During the 15th through e on a broom anyway?) There are 17th centuries, the period For more information about Witch- real, living Witches in all walks known as the Burning Times, craft, send a self-addressed, stamped N ACT of life, They are the "wise Ones” Witches were hunted and tor- envelope for a free copy of the pam- IOT the _the healers, the ecologists, In tured for their practices, and phlet "Frequently Asked Questions news?’ fact, the very origin of the word over 300,000 innocent people About ‘Witches 8* Witchcraft" to: look "I provides proof to this,Etymolo— were recorded killed from this Vermont Open Circle of Wicca 8’ Comfort, gists have discovered that the religious war. Some scholars es- Wicce, P.O. Box 68, Vergennes, VT °°'k ""9" ‘”5°"’ Sh“-‘S modern word ”Witch” is rooted timate the true number to be 05491-0068 in the Anglo-Saxon term ”wit”, near9 million. This forced many 31 St les of NAOT Footwear at: meaning "to know". The entire Pagans ir1t0 hiding — What j title, "Witchcraft" includes roots many like t0 Call the "broom T - in the An lo—Saxon "craeft”,- a closet". In order to practice their * ' ‘ I art, pgiofession or Strength. rituals’ Witches in a dark fOI._ Coichester St‘ Albans Today, Witchcraft is known as est in the late hours Of the night. the "Craft Of the Wi5€"- The}’ have a1WaY5 Wom ritual macho stuff... his equivalent of However, Witchcraft is robes, similar to practitioners of Marilyn Monroe, and The RuS_ sian Missile Crisis. The Bay of Pigs is not far behind. Whoever JFK was, he was not an abusive, manipu- lative gunslinger. And Mr. Clinton, despite the 20,000 to 200,000 post—Gulf War dead in Iraq (depending on with whom you're talking), fails to understand the deep bitterness and loss of the Iraqi people. His subsequent demands for endless sanctions and his tak- ing over the "show” for the U.N. have set new lows for our ship” in this event. Far too 0 many people have already died as a result. ' t r We, the good residents of the United States, must insist that this country walk the higher moral ground. Above all, we must set a good ex- ample. Firmness of resolve is fine, but compassion and gen- erousness toward the fallen are virtues we cannot afford to dis- card. ~ Michael Billingsley