Veteran's Affairs deny Wiccan burial

[Professor S]

I don't agree with the refusal to allow the symbol, but I understand why the government wouldn't allow it. Wiccan or not, a pentagram within a circle is symbolic of devil worship in many people's eyes, and we are in a war with people who believe we are devil worshippers. A picture of that gets out into the muslim media and we have a **** storm on our hands. That said, his wishes should have been honored in some way like putting the symbol inside the casket. He died for his beliefs and the country that gives him the freedom to follow them, and he should be allowed to be buried with those beliefs.

And Typhoid, separation of church and state is a myth. The US constitution only bars the creation of a formal national religion. This was in reaction to the founding father's rejection of the Church of England, or state mandated religion in general. There is no US law or regulation banning the inclusion of religion in government sponsored events.

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 mistake is understandable though, as separation powers were first thought of as (or manipulated into) law because of a letter written by Thomas Jefferson. He believed in separation, but there was no such law ever written in the constitution or amended to it.