Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site alice.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!alice!jj From: jj@alice.UUCP Newsgroups: net.religion,net.politics,net.flame Subject: House bill 3036, amendment 705 (Senate) Message-ID: <4448@alice.UUCP> Date: Wed, 16-Oct-85 10:45:26 EDT Article-I.D.: alice.4448 Posted: Wed Oct 16 10:45:26 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 17-Oct-85 23:49:07 EDT References: <12090@rochester.UUCP> <599@k.cs.cmu.edu.ARPA>, <12312@rochester.UUCP> Organization: New Jersey State Farm for the Terminally Bewildered Lines: 55 Xref: watmath net.religion:7987 net.politics:11522 net.flame:12348 I like the way Ray Frank puts it: "Most of those crimes are totally substantiated"... He then goes on to admit that he's NOT studied the police reports, etc, since he doesn't have time, so HOW DOES HE KNOW? Of course, to provide a TOTALLY symmetric argument, he then attacks the writer who commented that a lot of the crimes were based on hearsay for not having read all the police reports. Marvelous thinking, Ray! I've read the whole act myself (My Congresscritter, who isn't on the committee, sent me a copy pronto, for the asking) and it's evident that the act goes beyond trying to ban "Satanism and Witchcraft", it goes to the length of LEGALLY DEFINING Witchcraft as "the use of , sorcery, or calling on dark powers for evil intent" or something like that, (I left the text at home, regrettably) showing once and for all that the writer (Jesse Helms) does not know what a Wiccan is, or anything about Wicca (let alone other sorts of non-Christian religions). It's clear that the whole act is utterly unconstitutional, but the obvious effect is to bankrupt Wiccans, etc, by legal fees, as far as I can tell. Of course, Wicca isn't covered by the BILL's definition of witchcraft, as far as I can tell(I'm hardly an expert on Wicca, I've known two people who were involved with it, but ...) , but I'm sure someone will use the association with "witchcraft" as "evidence". The section of the record where Helms introduces the legislation is quite revealing, as he takes the opportunity to introduce a segment of 60 minutes on "satanism" as evidence. Such responsible, true-to-fact reporting, indeed... It is also interesting to note that the discussion is temporarily tabled to discuss the incoming hurricane, and the need for the Senate to adjourn for the day to stay clear of Gloria. One might even suspect that that's why the amendment got passed! Frankly, I'm writing both of my Senators in NJ, asking why they voted for it, by default. I'm curious to see what they say, since at least one of them is an avowed "liberal Democrat". Feh! -- SUPPORT SECULAR TEDDY-BEAR-ISM. "... who stole the keeshka, someone call the cops!" (ihnp4/allegra)!alice!jj