rgh@inmet.UUCP (10/20/85)
[from the Boston Phoenix, 22 Oct 85]
The New Right knight, Senator Jesse Helms (R-North Carolina) has made
career out of taking on the forces of evil, but he recently went too far.
Last month Helms sponsored an amendment to the 1986 government
appropriations bill to outlaw federal tax exemptions "to any cult,
organization, or other group that has as a purpose or that has any
interest in the promoting of satanism or witchcraft." The senate passed
the amendment by a unanimous voice vote, but Helms's staff has
subsequently encountered some unexpected and stiff opposition. "We
didn't realize that there are apparently good witches and bad witches,"
a staffer explained. "It's sort of like 'Bewitched' and 'Oz'." Good
witches everywhere were enraged by Amendment 705. "A large portion of
witches are not satanic," said the staffer. "They're upset that we've
lumped them with the satanic cults. And they seem to have a point."
She said that for the past three weeks, Helms has been receiving calls
from eight to 10 witches a day. In fact, a national campaign has been
brewing. A recent "Pagan Action Alert," circulated nationally by the
Circle Network in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, warns "Wiccan Priestesses and
Priests" and followers of other "Pagan paths" about the amendment.
The alert exhorts those so inclined to lobby their senators and
representatives by mail and phone, and to meet personally with
congressional staffers. ("But if you do, be sure to dress in
professional business attire NOT in robes or other Pagan garb.")
"Work Magick" to defeat the bill, the alert suggests, or "ask the
spirits" of founding fathers to lobby Congress.
The strategy apparently worked. The Helms staffer said the
amendment is expected to vanish from the final version of the bill while
it's in committee this month. Was it witch's magic that did the trick?
"Well, my car did break down," conceded the Helms staffer.
Randy Hudson {ihnp4,ima}!inmet!rgh