LETTER: Witches on Page 1?
Posted in Opposing Viewsby real_magick1970 April 1, 2007 at 12:57 pm (UTC)
In regard to the March 22 edition of The Standard-Times, I would like to voice my objection to a piece that appeared as a feature article on the front page of that edition.
This was an obituary tribute to a man named Shawn Poirier titled, “Witches mourn their king.”
This particular article included a large-scale color photo of two crying witches mourning this man at the funeral home, a smaller insert of the man himself, as well as a rather lengthy article on the man’s life and his particular belief system which continued onto another page, and was accompanied by yet another large-scale photo of more mourning witches.
In my opinion, this type of news is something that would have been more appropriately issued forth in a trade magazine or newsletter for witches and proponents of the occult, and does not merit front-page exposure of this magnitude in a mainstream newspaper such as The Standard-Times.
Whatever this man might have been to his family, friends and followers, I can certainly respect that, but to have this particular paper display all of this as front-page, headline news, in my view, is inappropriate.
It is my opinion that an obituary article would have been more appropriately placed on the obituary page of this paper since the man was a native of this city.
In my view, more discretion should have been exercised here by the editor as to how and where an article such as this should have appeared in The Standard-Times.
Colleen Gordon
Fairhaven
Source
- LETTER: Witches on Page 1?. (2007, April 1). SouthCoast Today, MA. Retrieved April 1, 2007.
July 12th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
Blessings
I hope all is well with you. I am an Arch-Priestess in Egyptian Mysteries Witchcraft and would like to just comment. Remeber, Witches mourn just like any one else and Deserve the same respect. I am very happy that the March 22 edition of The Standard-Times printed that Article , this opens the minds of those who’s minds are closed as yours may be.
Please do some research on our Religion and find out for yoursef how old it is and that other religions have taken a lot from us and made it their own.
August 8th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
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September 26th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Dear Colleen Gordon of Fairhaven:
If there was a local Bishop or Priest that died in the community, would it not make the local paper’s front page? Should witches demand that such an article be restricted to Catholic/Christian newsletters? No, of course not. Important people of influence are what they are. Shawn Poirier was something of a local celebrity in New Bedford, having founded Festival of the Dead in Salem and becoming the subject of reality show & movie consultation, classes & workshops, and other media from Salem, to Boston, to National networks. If you don’t like what the newspaper prints, take it up with them, and better yet don’t buy it. What else of import was going on that day in New Bedford? Did you bake a pie? Now ask yourself, what have you done in your life to enrich others’ so that you earn yourself a front page story when you pass? If you knew Shawn, he would have made you feel like the most important person in the world, so please, let him have his front page.
Much respect & blessings,
Akima –aka the crying witch from that front page, many copies of which I have in my home to remind me of my dear friend Shawn, his amazing life, and how amazing he made me feel when I was with him.
September 28th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Let me state that all religions seem to be inane and strange to objective peoples. I don’t go around judging others beliefs as inappropriate because i cannot relate to them. It isn’t the substance of the faith that makes a person, but instead the devotion, message, and application of it to their own lives. All religions state the same basic message, which is to love one another unequivocally. When people can learn to accept each other for who they are, and what they do; not how they look or what the believe the world is going to be a much better place. By stating an objection to others faith, you trivialize your own. Jesus himself would understand that you are no better than anyone else, but he would want you to strive to be a better you. Whether someone is a Witch, Christian, Jew, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Pagan, Native American, Shintoist, Confucianist, or agnostic shouldn’t be for you to judge. God wants us all to be honest, loving, caring, decent and good people; and it assuredly does not matter what path you take to get there as long as you do. Some people are served better taking the road less travelled. To think than one singular faith is the only correct path is ignorant and narcissistic, and summarily it is an indictment on what you were taught to believe. Too many Christians fail to consider what Jesus would have actually done in certain situations. These are generally the same people who tend to forget that Jesus and the Christians were all viewed as freaks, zealots, and heretics to their contemporaries. To slight someone for their faith is not only an insult to them, but to their friends, families, and to the rights bestowed to all Americans whom were given freedom to choose any faith they like. You have the right to say what you want, and I have the right to feel sorry for you for being a fool.
Educate yourself.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
Is death also considered inappropriate by the religious too? What I find inappropriate is the fact that you disrespected people morning the death of a loved one. It does not matter what anyone believes in when they pass, it is time to mourn their passing. I never met Shawn, he was already gone when I moved to Salem. But everyone here speaks very kind words of him. I can’t say that about priests in churches. Isn’t it strange how we hear so much negative stories about priests molesting children, but no one ever says that’s inappropriate when it makes front page news. because it’s still under the religious subject. Keep in mind, your religion would have no existance if it weren’t for Pagans and your personal ignorance, and also your lack of sympothy. ( along with everyone else’s lack of knowledge and ignorance )
I do hope you find peace in your heart one day, as religious people don’t have, but claim they do. Blessed Be.