still have religious freedom?
 

Danzig,
I can't wait until Somerfrost weighs in on this one.
I'll defer to his view.
All I can tell you is that it really makes no difference to me. I ain't goin' to be climbing out of the ground to read what's on it, one way or the other.
DTS

lol...well, i should hope you won't be!

i just don't understand how it can be recognized, and yet not be at the same time. shame that they can't have their religious symbol on their headstone, they earned the grave by fighting for their country, seems they should get their marker they want to put on it.

Danig,
I'll do my best to keep this near the top until Somerfrost weighs in.
As for me, I hope to be buried in mashed potatoes and have either Bugs Bunny wearing a crucifix or a bronze of Secretariat on mine.
Makes not a lot of matter to me when all is said and done.

i want a viking funeral...but i don't think it's gonna happen. so i suppose just a simple cremation will have to do.

Actually, I've been following this story for awhile now...I don't see any way that the courts would fail to side with the families here. I think it's less a matter of blatantly attempting to deny the soldiers their right to religious freedom than it is the ugly face bureaucracy popping up again! Wicca, as reported, is recognized as a valid religion in the US, the courts have repeatedly upheld this right and the military has long recognized it also...making concerted attempts to provide for the spiritual needs of Wiccan soldiers. This, I think, is nothing more than an oversight...failing to include Wiccan symbolism with that of dozens of other religions. Of course, when dealing with the bureaucratic mindset, one has to remember that these folks are lemmings...they will jump off a cliff if it follows SOP before making common sense changes! The symbols must be added, the graves of the soldiers must be consecrated...and I'm sure they will be! This is unfortunate...but not a sign of the reincarnation of Burning Times dogma!

no, maybe not burning times....but i do think there might be a bit of squeamishness on the part of some regarding having a pentacle on a tombstone. but that's not their business. i have no doubt this will be resolved, but it should not have gotten to this point to begin with.

I agree totally, it's just that as a Vet, I've dealt with the monster myself and I know that change moves at a speed that snails make fun of and common sense is always usurped by "policy and procedure". As Captain Mal said in the movie, Serenity..."part of history is hiding the truth" and unfortunately from suddenly adding horns to the christian devil to spreading mis-information about religious practices and symbols, our "history" has made every attempt to demonize pagan beliefs!