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Wiccan Calls Neighbor’s Hanging Witch Display a Hate Crime

by TheBigRuski | October 16, 2007 at 09:11 am

1207 views | 5 Recommendations | 6 comments

A Massachusetts woman who has been studying witchcraft for many years is upset with a neighbor's Halloween display, which includes a "witch" hanging in the front yard.

This from WorldNetDaily:

Halloween celebrated with sorceress in noose, pagan worshipper likens it to lynching blacks

In the state made famous for persecuting witches in the late 17th century, a modern day sorceress in Massachusetts is burning mad about a neighbor’s Halloween decoration depicting a witch hanging from a noose, calling it a hate crime against her religion.

“I want to see him take it down,” said Kelly Lynch of Chicopee, Mass. “Look at what’s going on in Louisiana. That would be the same thing. If a black family had … crosses outside of their house or nooses hanging from their trees, it’s basically the same thing.”...READ FULL STORY

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Kaitlin

at 09:59 on October 16th, 2007

Hey TheBigRuski--thanks for posting this. I'm going to suggest that you add the tag "Opinions" to this story as you express your feelings about the subject matter in your introduction. You're more than welcome to do so, of course, but I'd suggest making it clear that you're expressing your own thoughts there instead of just posting it as a news story.

Let me know if you have any questions about this.

TheBigRuski

at 10:26 on October 16th, 2007

I've made it a more "newsy" lead and gave attribution to WorldNetDaily upfront. (My opinion lead is found on my blog.)

Thanks for the suggestion!

gonzo

at 11:21 on October 16th, 2007

How is this not a hate crime? If you were Jewish and someone painted a big Swaztika on their house people would see that as a hate crime. What if the sign said 'death to all Christians' or 'bring back crucifixion'? How is this different? If you were a member of this religion wouldn't you find this threatening? Do you consider threats to a religious minority acceptable?

Christopher Byrne

at 11:58 on October 16th, 2007

Because to be a hate crime, it would first:

1. Have to be a crime; and

2. Be carried out for the purpose of intending it because of hate.

3. The person putting up the display would have to know that the neighbor was a practicing Wiccan

It is ridiculous to call a Halloween display a hate crime. I cannot imagine ANYONE, especially people in the
liberal state of Massachusets, would see this as a threat against someone based on their religion.

It is Halloween and people just need to lighten up.

Kaitlin

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 10:28 on October 16th, 2007

Thanks! Looks better. Great stuff.

Dani_1313 (not verified)

at 16:14 on March 17th, 2009

Why would someone do this? This is a hate crime towards the people who are wiccan and pagan. The guy who put this up as a hollowe'en Decor, would not last 10 min in Montreal, And he servived living in Massachusetts?

Dose he know what happend in Salem,and all over the world? Like the "Witch Hunt". Who ever lives near this person, and is a pagan or wiccan, should have like called the cops or taken this person to court!
This is worse then what happend to people I know at school.