It's not illegal to be a witch in the United States. Or, for that matter, a Satanist (i.e., "devil worshipper.") It's not illegal to be a Muslim, or an atheist in the United States. But from the reactions of many to Christine O'Donnell, who are freaked by the idea she might have been a witch, you'd think it was illegal. The same mechanisms in people who are "afraid" Obama is a Muslim, as if that's an illegal act. Fear of witchery is of course combined with pure stupid ignorance. An airhead goes blithely off with some edgy punk boyfriend who's "dabbling" in devil worship, witchcraft er, whatever. Not only from those afraid O'Donnell is, or was, a witch, or is harboring some kind of dormant witch gene that will spontanely possess her, but O'Donnell herself. Here's what she said in 1999 on the Bill Maher show:
She's so stupid she can't tell the difference between Wicca, witches, and Satanists. Neither can most of America.
People are also blaming Maher for this. All he did was have her on his show; she said it, he didn't.
Here's another fact: witchcraft, Wicca, are protected by the U.S. Army. You have the legal right to be a witch and practice that religion under the "natural relligion" category. For more on this visit the Religious Tolerance site. This doesn't stop the ignorant, the snarky, and the religious intolerants from doing their best to spread fear and persecute those who are practicing witches, but it's encouraging, a bit.
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