# I pit Veterans Affairs **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 5, 2006, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-veterans-affairs/363270 "2006-07-05T22:16:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2006, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-veterans-affairs/363270/1 "2006-07-05T22:16:50Z")
The Department of Veteran’s Affairs has [refused](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/03/AR2006070300968.html) to allow a pentacle to be inscribed on a millitary memorial for a fallen Wiccan soldier. Who the hell are they to dictate what religions deserve respect? The IRS recognizes Wicca, hell his dog tags even said Wiccan. I hope Mrs Stewart takes keeps fighting until she wins. There is no justification for what VA’s is doing. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2006, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-veterans-affairs/363270/2 "2006-07-05T23:01:02Z")
From the linked article: _Federal courts have recognized Wicca as a religion since 1986. Prisons across the country treat it as a legitimate faith, as do the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. military, which allows Wiccan ceremonies on its bases._ Game. Match. Set. Time to sue the bastards. Damn shame to treat a veteran and his family like that. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2006, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-veterans-affairs/363270/3 "2006-07-05T23:02:17Z")
Doh…pit myself for typing out of order. Shoulda been Game. Set. Match. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2006, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-veterans-affairs/363270/4 "2006-07-05T23:05:38Z")
I never would have guessed Wiccans gained so much popularity since 1990. Ah well, I agree they should just adopt the symbol. Marc ---
**Author:** ![Mayo\_Speaks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mayo\_Speaks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mayo_Speaks)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2006, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-veterans-affairs/363270/5 "2006-07-05T23:16:46Z")
The VA can go fuck themselves for this. It’s beyond reprehensible. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2006, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-veterans-affairs/363270/6 "2006-07-10T01:21:04Z")
Damn, I am trying to find the list (with pictures) of which 30 religious symbols ARE allowed on grave markers, but I haven’t found it yet. Google is clogged with stories relating to the one inthe OP. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2006, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-veterans-affairs/363270/7 "2006-07-10T01:33:00Z")
[Here you go.](http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm/hmemb.asp) ---
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2006, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-veterans-affairs/363270/8 "2006-07-10T01:44:01Z")
[QUOTE=Monty] [Here you go.](http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm/hmemb.asp) [/QUOTE] Interesting. What’s up with the atomic symbol for Atheist? I guess a blank space wouldn’t have sufficed. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2006, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-veterans-affairs/363270/9 "2006-07-10T01:53:19Z")
Just speculation on my part, but here goes anyway: I have the impression that it’s supposed to represent a scientific approach to reality. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2006, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-veterans-affairs/363270/10 "2006-07-10T01:58:41Z")
I also noted that there’s a symbol for the Aaronic Order church. Last I heard, that outfit only has about one thousand people. I’m fairly certain that there are quite a few more Wiccans than that. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2006, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-veterans-affairs/363270/11 "2006-07-10T02:44:01Z")
No offense to any of those religions and/or sects, but frankly there are a bunch I’ve never heard of, and I wonder how many people belonging to them are currently serving in our military. And what is/was the criteria for getting your symbol approved? It would appear that there are a number of wiccan/pagan people serving right now, and that should count for _something_, right? It’s not like we’re asking them to adopt a rainbow or anything… ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2006, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-veterans-affairs/363270/12 "2006-07-10T02:50:31Z")
One of the ships I served on had a few Satanists. Good Sailors, most of them. One guy wasn’t all that interested in striking for any of the ratings realistically available to him so that–not his religion–was the reason he wasn’t such a good Sailor. ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2006, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-veterans-affairs/363270/13 "2006-07-10T02:57:16Z")
I see that the symbols fo rMuslims and Christian Scientists are not shwon due to copyrights. Just how is a religious symbol copyrighted? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2006, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-veterans-affairs/363270/14 "2006-07-10T02:59:01Z")
Probably the same way that any other work of art is copyrighted, would be my guess. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2006, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-veterans-affairs/363270/15 "2006-07-10T03:32:59Z")
[QUOTE=Atreyu] Interesting. What’s up with the atomic symbol for Atheist? I guess a blank space wouldn’t have sufficed. [/QUOTE] [http://www.atheists.org/visitors.center/logo.html](http://www.atheists.org/visitors.center/logo.html) ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-veterans-affairs/363270/16 "2006-09-14T05:05:56Z")
I know this thread is a couple of months old, but i wanted to resurrect it to let you know that [he’s getting his pentacle](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060914/ap_on_re_us/wiccan_soldier). > [@](#): > > But state officials said they had received a legal opinion from the Nevada attorney general’s office that concluded federal officials have no authority over state veterans’ cemeteries. They now plan to have a contractor construct a plaque with the Wiccan pentacle — a circle around a five-pointed star — to be added to the Veterans’ Memorial Wall in Fernley. I imagine that the Feds won’t exactly look to fight the issue very hard.