Love Thy Neighbour: November 2003 Archives

United States: Wicca is one of the things parents bother rural school districts about, and they seem to think it's the same as gang violence.

This year and in years past the Sullivan and Bourbon School Districts have dealt with a number of issue's but one issue facing the districts is school violence and in particular recent incidents involving alleged art work and statements known as KTP, Kill The Preps, and reports of a small number of students interested in Wicca, witchcraft.

Reading that paragraph, and the headline of the article, I can spot at least one issue which is not being dealt with, and it's something that's definitely within a school's remit. School Violence Addressed As Local District's Deal With Issue's - Sullivan Independent News, 19th November 2003.

It has been 25 years since Pope John Paul was elected as commander in chief of men who wear frocks and funny hats. While many Catholics are celebrating his reign, millions of women around the world may feel they have reason to regret his long rule — and the global battles he has waged against contraception, abortion and condoms.

In a unique Panorama documentary, Steve Bradshaw investigates how the Pope, who tried to act in the best interests of women, came to be accused by his opponents of ruining so many lives.

United States: A 67-year-old woman has been charged with making terroistic threats after she blew her top at a Santiera priest who publicly sacrificed two roosters. In a letter, Violet Skendarian offered to sacrifice the priest, the mayor and his lawyer

It's time to make human sacrifices to make your ancestors even more happy, read the letter, which was mailed to Mota's religious store in Passaic on Nov. 10. YOU MOTA -- all your family members, your lawyer, Jesus Pena, Passaic Mayor Sammy Rivera are all going to be sacrificed.

The letter also said: Santeria is an evil, pagan, ancient bloodthirsty cult which enjoys killing animals.

So, presumably, Christians have been eating Tofurky at Christmas all these years. Santeria Priest, Mayor Threatened After Animal Sacrifice - WNBC, 17th November 2003.

United States: Wiccan books were included in a display of drug paraphenalia for nearly a year in a Tennessee sheriff's department. They have since been removed after an enquiry, but no explanation has been given as to why they were there in the first place. Religious books removed from drug items display after inquiry - The Tennessean, 16th November 2003.

United States: The Rubio case gets weirder. In support of his insanity defence, lawyers for John Rubio are trying to demonstrate that he thought he was an hereditary witch dedicated to driving evil from the world:

Authorities say Rubio told police that he was the son and grandson of witches who had been called upon to help drive evil from the world. He told police that he and Angela Camacho, 23, sequestered the family in the apartment after seeing a woman with the mark of the beast.

According to investigators, Rubio said his mother had cast a spell on the children and his dead grandmother was occupying the body of the eldest child, 3-year-old Julissa Quezada. Rubio admitted to killing Quezada first, 1-year-old John Esthefan Rubio second, and 2-month-old Mary Jane Rubio last.

Defense attorneys say Rubio believed the children were possessed by evil spirits and that in a moment of insanity he thought the only way to get rid of the spirits was to kill the children and sever their heads.

Countering this, an expert on Mexican culture pointed out that if they really believed this, there would be witchcraft paraphenalia in the house, and none was discovered. EXPERT: NO SIGNS OF WITCHCRAFT IN HOME - Tyler Morning Telegraph, 31st October 2003.