ORLANDO — Tragedy struck early Sunday morning when a man open fired inside a crowded Orlando night club killing an estimated 49 people and injuring 53 others. As of publication, federal officials have not conclusively linked the attack to the organization Daesh. However, state and local officials are calling it a terror attack due to the gunman’s history and personal statements.
The owner of the nightclub Pulse, which bills itself as the “hottest gay nightclub” in Orlando, posted this message: “Like everyone in the country, I am devastated about the horrific events that have taken place today. Pulse, and the men and women who work there, have been my family for nearly 15 years. From the beginning, Pulse has served as a place of love and acceptance for the LGBTQ community. I want to express my profound sadness and condolences to all who have lost loved ones. Please know that my grief and heart are with you.”
A Facebook application called Safety Check allowed Orlando-based users to check in “as being safe” and allowed others to check on a friend’s status. Many members of the Orlando-area Pagan, Heathen and polytheist community were using that app as news spread. Regardless, the event has shocked the country and the world, being called the worst terror attack on American soil since 9/11. There have been candlelight vigils, social media memes, prayers, blood drives, and other actions being taken to help and show support for the families and friends involved and for the LGBTQ community as a whole.
The Wild Hunt will have more reactions to the weekend tragedy in the coming days.
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ATLANTA — It was announced that Patricia Zook, known to the Pagan community as Lady Epona, had died. She was High Priestess in the Faerie Faith and played a pivotal role it the tradition’s development. According to students Linda Kerr and Cliff Landis, in her early days, Lady Epona worked closely with Mark Roberts, who had previously spent time with Morgan McFarland. They wrote, “Epona emphasized a strong sense of ethics and a focus on personal transformation.”
Over the years, Lady Epona was involved with and led many organizations including the Coven of the White Horse, the Garden Club, and the Mud Witches. She was also a veterinarian and perceptual student of the Craft. Landis and Kerr wrote, “Epona’s thirst for wisdom and community was relentless, and even in her last weeks of life she was sharing her knowledge as a Reiki Master and passing on lessons to her great-grandchildren in the Craft.”
Landis, along with his partners, served as Lady Epona’s caretaker in her final days. She died of cancer, COPD, and congestive heart failure on May 29, 2016, at her home in Decatur, Georgia. There will be a memorial June 19 at 4:00pm at the Clarkston Community Center. A ritual to celebrate her life will be held in October at the FallFling Festival in Alabama. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Gwinnett Animal Hospital’s Good Samaritan Fund. What is remembered, lives.
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[Courtesy Photo]
Not all those requests came from Pagans, Heathens or other magical practitioners. One of those women said, “I do not practice the art myself… But you gave me new hope on a case that I thought was hopeless and lost.”
Anyone who has followed the hexing story has seen that Hexen and other participants have received both an outpouring of support as well as fierce backlash. While some of that response may have been expected, Hexen did not foresee the enormous number of requests for additional hexings, or more specifically, for hexings of the “unconvicted.” In her post, Hexen said, “Ladies, you are survivors and the strongest witches amongst us and I am humbled.”
Update 6/13/16 4:24 pm ET: Prior to original publication, we reached out to Hexen to see if she had any plans to help these hundreds of women with spellwork or in other ways. She was not available to respond at the time, but has responded since. Here is what she said: “We formed a private Facebook group for sharing stories, resources, and magick. Also, I’ve been reminding [the women] that survivors have the most powerful witchcraft.”
In Other News
- The Prairie Land Music Festival is on schedule and will be held June 24-26. It is the festival’s first year, and aims to showcase both folk and Pagan music talent. As we reported in the past, organizers were having difficulty rounding up volunteers and funds. Rumors began circulating that the event had been cancelled. However, that was never the case. The Prairie Land Music Festival is now getting ready to open its doors for the first time, featuring “10 great performers scheduled who specialize in Folk, Celtic and Native American Flute Music.” In addition, there will be vendors and kids activities. The festival will be held at the Johnson County Fairgrounds North Arena in Iowa City, IA.
- The Minneapolis Collective of Pagan Artists (MCPA), in partnership with the Vine Arts Center, will be hosting a new exhibit titled “Modern Pagans/Ancient Realms.” In the exhibition, artists respond to the following question, “What does this revival of pre-modern religions contribute to the larger conversation?” The event will feature painting, live performance, photography, ceramics, video, and mixed media. The “Modern Pagans/Ancient Religions” exhibit opens July 8 at The Vine Center in Minneapolis and will be open through July 29.
- Pagan Spirit Gathering begins this week and runs from June 19-26 in southern Illinois. Rev. Selena Fox, founder of Circle Sanctuary said, “As part of PSG each year, we do workings for Pagan religious freedom. This will be part of our opening rite on Solstice Eve on Sunday night, June 19.” Lady Liberty League also holds its annual meeting during PSG, and it can be attended by PSG guests interested in religious freedom work.
- The interest in Doreen Valiente and her work has not yet subsided in the U.K. Ashley Mortimer, trustee of the Doreen Valiente Foundation, was just featured on the podcast show “Cult of Nick” about the exhibitions, the book and the upcoming play. And, this weekend, in honor of Gerald Gardner’s 132nd birthday celebration, Pagans and others will be gathering at Preston Manor, where the Doreen Valiente exhibit is being hosted. On June 18, Mortimer, along with Philip Carr-Gomm and Tam Campbell, will be giving talks to visitors, who come to visit the exhibition.
- For those that did not attend Caldera Fest or for those that want to relive it, a video of one of Tuatha Dea’s performance, featuring Ginger Doss and Sharon Knight, was posted to You Tube. Enjoy!
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So the real news, in all of this, is how many women don’t get justice yet still seek justice. Melanie and friends have inadvertently tapped into a deep well of injustice. What happens next? Does she have plans that involve these women? I look forward to finding out.
We asked her that very question but didn’t get a response in time for publication but have since heard back. I updated the article with her response.
Thank you!
For the families in Orlando — funeral, medical, and living expenses in the wake of this murderous attack: https://www.gofundme.com/PulseVictimsFund
So if “believe the accusers” is all the justification that’s needed, I trust Juanita Broaddrick, Dolley Kyle, Paula Jones, Kathleen Willey, Gennifer Flowers, Elizabeth Ward Gracen, Sally Perdue, Connie Hamzy, Lencola Sullivan, and Eileen Wellstone are enough to get the whammy put on Bill Clinton, and his enabler and apologist, Hillary.
Except the Clintons probably have magicians on the payroll who would clean their clock.
How did you get that from the update? Hexen didn’t say she was going to take on those who wrote her.
I’m confused, so instead of becoming actively engaged in changing laws, protesting, writing letters, calling their representatives, engaging in pubic discourse, or some other activity that could actually change the culture. People are being encouraged to sit at home, burn a candle, tie a string and mumble a hex that serves to do nothing except make someone feel good because they can say they did “something”? This just reeks of the same way people go to churches, temples, mosques, etc… seeking help only to be told “We love you and we will say a prayer for you, now go home and wait for God to do something so we don’t have to” It’s nothing more then a thinly veiled dismissal of the victim and an excuse not to have to get involved in any meaningful way while being able to say “I did something”. I was appalled at the sentence but I really hope nothing bad happens to this guy so this nonsense will go away so we can get back to actually being engaged in a way that is truly effective at actually changing culture and society as a whole for the better.
Why are you pretending you have a question in order to express your disdain?
What are you doing about the Brock Turner case, if anything?
And, why do you care if practitioners hex him?
There was no pretending I asked a question, I think I made it quite clear I am questioning the effectiveness of this endeavor to actually make any positive change. Also, yes I am showing disdain because I believe it is indeed a waste of time. If you want to make a difference contact Senator Boxer and Feinstein, jam the phones at Stanford and most important demand a recall of Judge Aaron Persky. Just over an hour ago I saw that the DA has challenged Judge Persky which is automatically going to keep him from presiding over another upcoming sexual assault case. That is action and we can’t let up until justice is done. Seriously 30 days or 30 years from now maybe Turner has an accident or a sickness and then what. Is everyone who is doing the hexing going to hold their head high and say “well we showed him!!” while Brock Turner style cases continue over and over? Personally I think that energy would be better directed to strengthen the resolve of everyone who is working hard to get this judge recalled.
You’re not even worth arguing or debating with.
We are not debating, I stated my opinion, you asked three more questions and I answered them which is more like an interview, and if you don’t want to argue stop engaging me with weak one line insults that have no substance at all.
For those that would like the judge recalled there are petitions at moveon.org, change.org and the white houses we the people web site. There are over 1 million signatures already and counting!