An excerpt of an article written for the Samhain edition of "The Witch's Voice, 1999

Blessed be and Meet Me in D.C. A Review by Scott Fray The autumn air was unseasonably warm on the mall of our nation’s capitol, the brilliant October crimsons, yellows and golds blazing bright against the towering columns of the Jefferson Memorial. Thomas Jefferson never thought his having been president sufficient an achievement to be mentioned on his tombstone, instead he listed that he had authored the Statute of Virginia for Freedom of Religion as one of the three major accomplishments of his extraordinary lifetime. This legislation became the precedent for the American tradition of separation between church and state and supported the ideal of our country being a safe haven for many faiths, beliefs and ideologies coexisting peacefully with one another. It was very appropriate then, that the scene for an assembly of Witches Pagans and Druids to peaceably voice their concerns, celebrate their triumphs and demonstrate their solidarity be beside this structure consecrated to the idea of religious tolerance. The event began at 9:00 am on Friday and included two full days of workshops and presentations on a wide variety of topics including The Ethics of Magick, Shamanic Journeying, Spellworking, Dark Maiden Grandmother and Crone, A Taste of Tantra, The Druidic Wheel of the Year, Self-Harvest, Norseworking, and the History, Lore and Design of Labyrinths. The presenters possessed a wealth of knowledge in a wide array of different disciplines and conducted their talks, not in a forested grove, overhung with leafy branches and sitting on the grassy earth, but in a hotel conference center, with podiums and metal chairs. While I did find the atmosphere of the venue to be perhaps less in keeping with the subjects being discussed, it was hardly noticed in that the familiarity and warmth of a summer gathering was present in the smiles and interaction between the attendees. Nybor had a marvelous display of his art that included many new works and the merchant area displayed everything from hand carved bloodstone runes (had to have them), to goddess figures, herbs, jewelry, books and even web services. The authentic jet and amber pieces were excitedly discussed on the email list with great anticipation well before the day of the show. Saturday’s activities featured a sneak preview of Ellen Evert Hopman’s new video documentary "Pagans", an educational tool with quality cinematography, slick 3D graphics a soundtrack from the founder of The Bothy Band. It was also an excellent environment for schmoozing, (I mean networking!), and getting to know people who had come to cover the event. I met the Earth Religions editor of Belief.net, a large new online resource for spiritual expressions of all kinds who came to check out the buzz. It’s great to be included as a peer in the quilt of spiritual practices represented. I also learned that invitations and information had been hand delivered to every member of congress, and that a comprehensive attempt had been made to disseminate information to the media and encourage their attendance and participation. The core group of the BBMMDC staff and Blessed Be Pagan Unity is to be heartily commended for their monumental efforts to host this event and to provide the outreach so desperately needed. It takes a long process of organized perseverance requiring the efforts and dedication of many talented folks to bring about a change in perceptions and attitudes. A mission of this scope takes more than one weekend to create an impact and it is gratifying to witness the growth that the BBMMDC has experienced. The proliferation of mirror events around the country in places like Cincinnati, Chicago, Detroit, and Des Moines are testaments to the commonality and shared vision experienced by inspired pagans around the US and the world. Next year, there will be an even greater sense of momentum, with talk of mirror events springing up in a number of new states like Idaho, Massachusetts, California, Florida, and Texas and in other countries, possibly even in Australia and England. As evening descended on the National Mall, the congregation circled at the foot of the illuminated outline of the Jefferson Memorial. Looking out over the waterway, the towering Washington Monument glowed like an Egyptian obelisk in the distance, a reminder of the founding fathers’ Masonic study of ancient principles and mysteries. The quarters were called and words of clarity and purpose were spoken. Despite the microphone failing and the roar of jet planes making it difficult to hear, the sense of unity and accomplishment was strongly felt by all the participants. The inclusion of a woman translating the speeches into sign language for the deaf made for an unexpectedly artful touch. "Oh, and by the way, Washington", said BBMMDC president Feminyst during her turn at the podium, "We vote." Cheers echoed all around. As the drumming commenced I spoke with the camera crew from ABC who were in a bit of a quandary. "What do we point our cameras at?" they wanted to know, "What is this all about anyway?" I later saw them interviewing Arachne, one of the media coordinators in addition to a number of others, so I’m sure they were given the scoop. Many others seem to have gotten the scoop as well, from the many interested onlookers passing by to the representatives of various media organizations. Sunday’s’ Washington Post featured a very positive article titled "Spreading a Down-to-Earth Message, Pagans Gather in District to Celebrate, Offer Enlightenment About Their Beliefs". Accompanying the article was a photograph of pagans conducting a Santeria ritual on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Coverage also came from The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and the 700 Club. To top off the weekend, the splendiferous Halloween Masque Ball at Cerridwen’s Coffeehouse had to be one of the hottest hoedowns on this hemisphere. Saturday night Big Village played their farewell concert to a church full of dancing gods and goddesses, all in their celebratory finery. Held in the Silver Spring, MD Unitarian Universalist building, the revelers romped while the coffee and tea flowed freely and the magical marketplace moved into full swing. It was a perfect conclusion for a memorable event that will carry the hopes of our community forward as we close on this century and make way for the new. Scott Fray is Copublisher and Creative Director for Obsidian Magazine (http://www.ObsidianMagazine.com), his brain is also now available for public consumption and can be found at http://www.scottfray.com/planet/ written in November, 1999

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