Wiccan widow gets memorial plaque for war-hero husband.A Nevada woman whose husband was killed in combat in Afghanistan has received a memorial plaque for him bearing the pentacle, a symbol of the Wiccan faith. Roberta Stewart, widow of Sgt. Patrick Stewart This article is about the actor. For the American soldier, see Patrick Stewart (soldier). For the actor who is sometimes credited as "Patrick Stuart", see James Patrick Stuart. Patrick Stewart , attended a ceremony unveiling the marker Dec. 2. The event took place after Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn Kenneth Carroll "Kenny" Guinn (born August 24, 1936) is an American educator and businessman who was a two-term Governor of Nevada from 1999 to 2007. Guinn is a member of the Republican party. He was born in Garland, Arkansas and grew up in Exeter, California. (R) ordered the installation of the plaque. Sgt. Stewart's memorial is in the Northern Nevada Memorial Cemetery in Fernley, Nev., which is a federal institution, but Guinn said Nevada officials had a right to intervene. Stewart and other Wiccans have petitioned the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Affairs is a term of the business that deals with the relation between a government and its veteran communities, usually administered by the designated government agency. (VA) to approve the pentacle for use on government-issued headstones and memorial plaques. The VA has approved 38 other symbols but has refused to add the pentacle, a five-pointed star A five-pointed star (  ) is a very common ideogram throughout the world. If drawn with points of equal length and angles of 36° at each point, it is sometimes termed a golden five pointed star. in a circle.
On Nov. 13, Americans United filed legal action on behalf of Stewart and Karen DePolito, a Wiccan whose husband, Jerome Birnbaum, is a Korean War Korean War, conflict between Communist and non-Communist forces in Korea from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953. At the end of World War II, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel into Soviet (North Korean) and U.S. (South Korean) zones of occupation. veteran who died last year. Also listed on the lawsuit are a Wiccan group, Circle Sanctuary Circle Sanctuary is a non-profit organization and legally recognized Wiccan Church[1] based in southwestern Wisconsin, USA, with approximately 15,000 subscribers[2]. , and the Isis Invicta Military Mission, a congregation serving Wiccans and other Pagans. The installation of the memorial marker for Sgt. Stewart will not affect the litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. . Attorneys at Americans United said while they appreciate Guinn's action, it is still imperative that the VA adopt even-handed policies at the federal level. Officials at the VA have had plenty of time to consider the Wiccans' request. An application seeking approval for the pentacle was filed 10 years ago. VA officials never acted on it, but in the interim, the symbols of several other faiths were approved. (See "Pentacle Quest;' December 2006 Church & State.) AU went to court only after repeated attempts to persuade the VA to approve the pentacle. AU says the VA's refusal to act is puzzling. Wiccan members of the military are accommodated in other instances. They have Wiccan identifications on their dog tags, and handbooks for military chaplains discuss the Wiccan faith and its rituals. During the memorial ceremony, Stewart spoke about her frustration over the long-running battle. "It is ridiculous, and I will continue the fight so no widow has to go through what I did," Stewart said. "The government didn't honor my husband after he gave his life to his country. They gave me a blank spot on his plaque for more than a year." The Associated Press reported that about 50 family members and friends attended the service. Americans United Executive Director Barry W. Lynn Reverend Barry W. Lynn (born 1948 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) has been the Executive Director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State since 1992.[1] sent a special message, promising to press on with the lawsuit. "The recognition Sgt. Stewart receives today is long overdue," Lynn's statement read. "I offer my condolences to his entire family. We pause today to remember him, and we make this vow: in his memory and in the memory of those who believed as he did, we will continue to press forward until we have achieved victory. Sgt. Stewart never gave up, and neither will we. His memory demands nothing less." Sgt. Stewart and four other soldiers died on Sept. 25, 2005, when their Chinook Chinook, indigenous people of North America Chinook (shĭn  k`, chĭ–), Native American tribe of the Penutian linguistic stock. helicopter was shot down over Afghanistan. He was
posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.
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