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Aug. 29, 2007
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Wiccan practitioner's widow not invited to Bush meeting

President talked to family members of other war dead

By SEAN WHALEY
REVIEW-JOURNAL CAPITAL BUREAU

Roberta Stewart glances at a wreath with the Wiccan symbol during a Dec. 2 ceremony at the Northern Nevada Veterans Cemetery in Fernley. Stewart's husband, Sgt. Patrick Stewart, was killed in Afghanistan last year, and his widow successfully fought to have the Wiccan symbol put on his veterans' memorial plaque.
Associated Press File Photo

CARSON CITY -- When President Bush took time Tuesday to meet family members of some of the fallen soldiers from Northern Nevada, a woman whose husband made the ultimate sacrifice was notably absent.

Roberta Stewart of Fernley, who lost her husband, Sgt. Patrick Stewart, when the helicopter he was in was shot down in Afghanistan in September 2005, said she was not invited to the meeting that followed Bush's speech to the American Legion's national convention in Reno.

Other members of the Stewart family were invited to the brief, private meeting, including her husband's parents and brother, as were family members of others who have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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    • Stewart said her in-laws were contacted by the White House last week in advance of the visit by Bush to Reno. But she received no call or e-mail extending an invitation.

    Stewart's parents, Steve and Sandy Stewart of Reno, and his brother, Jason Stewart of Silver Springs, offered no comment on the meeting.

    Roberta Stewart said she believes she knows why no invitation was extended to her by the White House.

    Roberta Stewart, like her late husband, is a practitioner of the Wiccan faith, and she fought with the Department of Veterans Affairs for more than a year to win the right to display the pentacle, the emblem of their faith, on his memorial marker in the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Fernley.

    Patrick Stewart had the pentacle on his dog tags.

    Roberta Stewart and several other Wiccans, backed by a major Wiccan religious group and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, reached a settlement with the federal agency in April allowing the symbol to be used in veterans cemeteries.

    "I'm upset that I wasn't invited," she said of the Bush meeting. "I think it is because of my faith. I feel like I've been discriminated against again."

    Stewart said she would have gone if invited.

    "I would have loved to have spoken to President Bush and ask him why he dishonored my husband," she said. "That's probably why I wasn't invited."

    White House spokesman Trey Bohn said only that Bush met privately with family members of military personnel who have lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan and that, "we do not discuss private meetings."

    Stewart said that while researching a lawsuit to allow the use of the pentacle, Wiccan attorneys came across information indicating Bush was opposed to recognition of the faith. The New York Times reported when the settlement was reached in April that Bush, in an interview with Good Morning America in 1999, said: "I don't think witchcraft is a religion."

    The government finally agreed to the settlement "in the interest of the families concerned and to spare taxpayers the expense of further litigation," VA spokesman Matt Burns said in an e-mail announcing the agreement in April.

    Additionally, Burns said, the agency settled after it became clear that the Wiccan pentacle would be deemed acceptable under new rules the VA has proposed for recognizing "emblems of belief."

    The Wiccan faith is based on nature and emphasizes respect for the earth and its processes. One of its primary tenants is "do no harm."

    The space allotted for Patrick Stewart's plaque at the Fernley cemetery remained blank until November, when the state of Nevada sidestepped the federal government and allowed the use of the symbol at the cemetery.

    The Nevada Army National Guardsman and four other soldiers died after their Chinook helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan. Among the dead was Stewart's friend, John Flynn, a chief warrant officer with the guard.

    Flynn's widow, Christie Flynn, was invited to the Bush meeting, Roberta Stewart said. "Other local widows were there. I was excluded."

    If Bush thought he was honoring Patrick Stewart by meeting with selected family members, he was wrong, Roberta Stewart said.

    "I am very, very disappointed," she said.



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    Pamela Wilson wrote on September 14, 2007 07:13 PM: Roberta,

    I just talked with you on the phone and feel blessed by your energy. I apologize for my intense emotion, but feel very saddened by the war, your loss and the total loss of our civil liberties.

    I wish you the best and if I can do anything to help your cause, please let me know.

    Pam Wilson


    Pam Wilson wrote on September 14, 2007 06:16 PM: President Bush has no concept of what the United States Consitution means. He is void of compassion and could care less about serving the American Public! We, our children fallen are nothing but road kill to him. Read Bush On The Couch & find out why, which is very scary. American's could very well end up just like The Roman Empire, if we continue down this road.


    Kassandra wrote on September 11, 2007 03:27 PM: To all the ‘Christians’ who have responded with hate towards other religions – remember ‘Judge not least ye be judged’ or ‘let he who is without sin cast the first stone’.

    Growing up Catholic I had other Christians accuse me of being an idolater because we prayed to Saints and the Virgin to intercede to Christ and the Father for us. So as a college student I studied various religions and Guess What? – they all have the same basic message – ‘you will be judged in the next world for you actions here’. But history is chalk full of examples of zealots killing others simply because they believed differently. Think on the long bloody Christian list: Romans vs Jews vs early Christians (it wasn’t until over 300 years after Christ died that they could even agree what should be in the ‘official’ Bible and now each flavor of Christianity has their own ‘official’ version), the Crusades, the Protestant Wars, Salem, the decimation of Native Americans and Hawaiians, Hitler using Christian hate for Jews, calling them the people who had killed Christ (remember Christ was a Jew), the KKK and the cross burnings, and the list goes on. And Christians aren’t the only ones who believe their way is the only way – they are simply the most hypocritical.

    Bushes attitude to other religions is no more intelligent than Osama Bin Ladin’s latest rant that we should become Muslim – which sect? – they’re no more tolerant than a back woods, snake handling, Bible thumping Christian!

    And don’t think Mrs. Stewart wasn’t intentionally excluded – they included the parents and brother and knew who she was, this president has a history of excluding and/or attacking those who don’t agree with his ‘vision of reality’.


    Deborah Brazil wrote on September 06, 2007 04:17 PM: Why does GW continue to discriminate against Wicca and other Nature religions? This country was founded by people trying to escape religious persecution and discrimination. What gives him the right to start that kind of treatment against American citizens? How many of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines practice other than Christian or other monotheistic faiths? The answer may surprise old GW.


    Leslie wrote on September 04, 2007 04:47 PM: I would like to write a letter of support and condolence to the widow, Roberta Stewart, and how sorry I am that our President is such a inconsiderate and narrow minded person. Please post an address.


    Ember FireHawk wrote on September 04, 2007 02:13 PM: Teresa, Wicca is not a satanic cult. Wiccans do not believe a creature, person, deity, whatever by the name of Satan (and a thousand other names) even exists. How can someone worship what they do not believe in?


    Lori wrote on September 03, 2007 12:03 PM: To Rosanna :
    Wiccans do not believe in the devil .. the devil is a Christian Deity .. It would be like saying that Muhammad and Christ are the same .. when they are not .. they are from two separate faiths ..it would be much more intelligent and your argument might make a bit more sense if you had knew what you were talking about .. You should really read up on Wicca and what it's beliefs are before trashing it .. It only shows your ignorance ..and intolerance .. This is America .. Our Ancestors left England because they could not worship the way they wanted to .. Freedom of Religion means ALL faiths..not just the ones you deem worthy ..

    Oldmanblackforest:
    Who made you the God of all Witches ? Who gave you the right to decide what makes a real Wiccan and what doesn't ?.. Last I checked there was no one mighty powerful god of all witches incarnated into human form .. So I don't think she needs to prove anything to you or anyone else .. She is Wiccan because she says she is .. JMVHO


    Alexa wrote on September 02, 2007 09:17 PM: To Rosanna.
    Wiccans don't worship a devil, we do not believe in one either, do research before you bash something.


    ROSANNA wrote on September 01, 2007 09:20 PM: This woman thought she had been discrimated against because of her faith. Faith in what?? The Devil??


    Charmed wrote on September 01, 2007 08:08 PM: "I was very pleased with the way the conversation went, very pleased that he did call and put this right," she said. With regards to her faith, Bush told her he "would not discriminate against someone because of their religion," Stewart said.

    ***The President obvioulsy explained to Mrs. Stewart's satisfaction what happened, which she appears to not want to share,go figure. Since She is satisfied so should you all. There was and continues to be so little factual evidence. The initial story offered NO journalism, just an story to tug at the heart strings of Wiccans and keep everybody at an emotional level of craziness against the President. This paper did nothing to investigate who else was not invited to the affair. Nor did it seek to answer why Mrs. Stewart wasn't invited. All of it supposition. Then Mrs. Stewart's remarks which satisfies her but doesnt help to heal anyone else. Typical liberal or self-centered behavior. To thine own self be true....too bad. She could have helped to bridge a gap. I'm still curious as to why Patrick Stewarts obit did not contain one word of his faith..but I'm done here as Mrs. Stewart is satisfied with the apology from the President. Peace


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