Nevada War Widow Wins Right to Post Wicca Symbol on Husband's Grave

On September 25, 2005, Nevada Army National Guard Sergeant Patrick Stewart was a passenger on a Chinook in Afghanistan, probably coming from the field- or on his way there.

The Chinook was shot down by enemy fire, and Stewart was amoing the fatalites. He was only 34. While alive, Sgt. Stewart was a practicioner of the Wicca religion, considered a pagan faith by many circles.

His widow, Roberta, wanted to honor his memory by placing a Wiccan symbol on his plaque. However, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs does not honor the Wiccan symbols- mainly the pentacle, which is the pentagram inside a circle.

However, the state of Nevada does, and it has honored her request to place the pentacle on her husband's plaque.

Now, why the Department of Veterans won't recognize the Wicca symbol as a religious one, that's beyond me. But I can only surmise that it has something to do with the Judeo-Christian ways. After all, many say that the United States was founded upon Christian principles and values, and many see Wicca as anything but religious, let alone Christian. Sure, the Veterans department accepts the Jewish Star of David, and even Muslim symbols. But not the Wiccan symbols? That doesn't sound fair to me.

Kudos go to the State of Nevada, and to Mrs. Stewart in her continuing efforts to allow widows and widowers of soldiers who practiced Wicca to be recognized by our federal government.