Broom closet

~Jun. 24, 2003~

Topic #3 : The Broom Closet Revisited: What�s Your Current Occupancy Rate? (thanks to Wren's Nest)

Are you living more or less in the broom closet since last year? Does the current political climate make you more or less open about your beliefs with strangers or casual acquaintances than you used to be? Are you worried or have you ever seriously considered that a modern day �witch hunt� might target Pagans in the next few months/years? Have you taken extra precautions to protect your private information or Pagan identity on the internet? At work? In your neighborhood? Are you more or less inclined to speak up and/or identify yourself as a Pagan when discussing or writing about political, religious or social issues these days?

I used to be fairly open at my religious beliefs, and in some way still am. So in a way I�m �out of the closet�. Lately, though, I�ve been wanting to go back in, though I�m not really sure why. When I first �told� my mom, she sort of freaked out. Got the whole stereotypical view of a witch and wouldn�t talk to me for a couple weeks. It was my step-dad that finally got through to her that just because I believe something and practice the craft doesn�t mean that I�m an evil person, and she should know that, since she raised me. That was when I thought I was Wiccan.

I know that I�m not Wiccan now, but I still do consider myself a witch. Most people at work know about it, and are fine with it, though I do get the occasional joke from it, and since I don�t talk to most people in my neighborhood, there�s no real way for them to know. As for keeping it a secret on the net, well, this journal is proof that I haven�t really done that, as well as my email address. Though sometimes I have to wonder if anyone really understands, or knows what that funny word in my address means or is for unless I�ve specifically explained it to them.

I can�t say one way or another if there will ever be a witch hunt again. I�d like to think that there won�t be. That we�ve learned from the past mistakes. But that�s not human nature, is it? I can�t say that I�m seriously concerned about it for my sake, but there are times when it does concern me for the boys sake. It would kill me to know or even think that they were being harassed or excluded because of what I believe. So the chances are good that I�ll start being a bit less vocal about it than I have been in the past. Not because of what might happen to me, but because of what might happen to them. I won�t ever hide it from them, they�ll know what I believe, and they�ll also know that it�s ok to figure it out on your own. But they won�t ever have cause to think that I�m ashamed of my beliefs. At least, I hope that�s what they�ll learn�

~1 Comments?~

~Previous ~ Next~

Did you miss something? Check and see...

Where I went
Just a shortie
Unconscious Mutterings for 19 Jan 04
Unconscious Mutterings for 11 Jan 04
Unconscious Mutterings for 04 Jan 04

All writing presented within these pages is copyright � Heather A. Boothby. Click here to read how this page is protected by copyright laws.

Everything else...

My Bloginality is ESFP!!!

Broom closet

Who to see...

Where to go...

What to do...

Everything else...