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Jason Pitzl-Waters on Feb 20th 2007 at 3:56 pm Uncategorized

Asatru in Prison (Again)

Much as Wiccans used to only get media coverage on Halloween (in Salem), so it seems that Asatru (aka Odinism or Heathenry) only gets coverage in the context of prison. This time it concerns a complaint filed by inmate Darrell Hoadley (serving life for a torture-murder). Hoadley is requesting several ritual items and religious privileges that he says are given to more mainstream faiths but denied the small incarcerated Asatru group in South Dakota.

“An inmate serving life in prison for a torture murder that sent two co-defendants to death row wants a federal judge to approve a toy sword and other items and privileges for the practice of an ancient European religion…Hoadley said he’s suing prison staff because they have denied some of his requests while members of other religions have gotten similar privileges…Hoadley’s lawsuit asks for 23 ritual items, 10 reference materials and other requests, including visits from people who also practice the religion.”

While many of the requested items are already available, the prison says that some items can’t be approved due to pending litigation in the courts regarding the Asatru faith (no further information is given). The article also talks to Mike Murray from The Asatru Alliance to give some background.

“Asatru has more than 10,000 members in the United States but is not organized, so an exact number is hard to come by, said Mike Murray, who said he has practiced the religion for more than 40 years and runs the site asatru.org. “There’s no supreme religious leader. It’s more or less on a personal level, even though there are groups that gather and call themselves kindreds. And I know there are hundreds of them,” he said in a telephone interview from his home near Phoenix.”

Many Asatru aren’t very forgiving to those who dishonor themselves or their faith in the manner he did. Some of the comments left on the article make that pretty plain.

“This nithing is not a follower of the Nine Noble Virtues. He is about as Asatru as a Klansman is Christian. If he pretends to follow the Norse/Germanic ways then he is headed for Nifelheim, where Hel punishes the murderers. Nothing he does will lighten his wyrd. He is a nithing criminal and his deeds are a stain on the holy name of Asatru. Let him rot in his cell and die as dishonorably as he has lived. Do not look to convicts and torturers if you wish to see a good example of what Asatru is really about. Look to Freya Aswynn, Diana Paxson, Galina Krasskova and other non-racist, law-abiding and respected leaders. Not all of us espouse violence and cruelty. Our religion, with it’s lawspeakers at Thing, contains the very foundation of the modern American legal system.”

Asatru has a complex dynamic with its incarcerated co-religionists, I think some comments made by Heathen blogger Dave Haxton on this blog last year encapsulate this.

“…the first principle of Heathenry is that an individual is responsible for their own actions, and that one should accept the consequences of those actions…Now, all that being said, I also believe that this is an example of a failure on the part of mainstream Asatrurar to take prison ministry seriously: we need more folks to volunteer to go into the system and *teach* the inmates about heathenry, and not just depend on sending pamphlets and books. And the prison system needs to allow this …

I personally went into the Indiana State Prison at Greencastle once a month over a period of two years aiding in kindred formation and getting the guys started out on the right foot. It’s frustrating as Hel: of all the folks I worked with there was only one or two who really “got it” and weren’t just looking for an excuse to get out of chores. But one of those men actually turned down a parole offer because he felt he’d not paid enough back to society for his misdeeds. That’s what being a heathen means. Potentially we have a lot to offer inmates: we’re not a “religion of instant redemption”, and we can’t sprinkle anyone with magic fairy dust and eliminate their crimes in the eyes of the Holy Powers. But we can show them how they can do so for themselves: that’s the power and virtue of the heathen path.”

As Asatru continues to grow, it will be up to the various Asatru organizations and leaders to take point on explaining the nature of the faith to those looking to sensationalize “Asatru in Prison” stories. I think people like Dave Haxton (and the Heathen blogging community) show a way to do this that doesn’t dismiss the crimes of the people involved, and explains their faith in a clear manner.

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3 responses so far

  • Al Billings

    It isn’t all about you, Jenn. Let’s talk about prisoners instead.I worked for more than a year with a Wiccan group in a state prison. There was also an Asatru group that the prison system (in its short-sightedness) forced to share holidays with the Wiccan group. Basically, that meant when the Wiccans met for Sabbats or Full Moons was the only time the Asatru prisoners could meet without a sponsor. They staked out one corner of the chapel yard (outside was where we did ritual) as their own and kept to themselves.This kind of thing is quite common in the prisons. The Wiccan inmates were constantly complaining about being nickel and dimed on rules and regulations. Think of your last trip to the airport (if recent) and the debates about whether someone in line could take a container that holds 4 oz but only had 2 oz in it into a plane that only allowed 2 oz. (The answer is normally “no.”).The prisons generally have an official list of allowed holidays, items, etc. These are very specific and no deviation is allowed. If the list says the inmate is allowed 6 sticks of incense that are eight inches long and four that are six inches or are nine inches showed up, the administrators can deny the prisoner the incense. These lists are generally created to guarantee that prisoners have access to necessary materials for their faiths but they also wind up being a stick to hit them with…That being said, prisoners are a contentious and litigious lot. They have no power or control over their lives, being told what to do and how to do it, so any chance that they have to “stick it to the man” about anything to do with their faith will be taken up by many of them. I saw inmates arguing with staff over the tiniest things because it gave them some measure of leverage to do so. Because of all of this, religious issues (and persecution) in prisons is very hard to get a grip on. Non-mainstream faiths ARE treated differently than “normal” ones, often much worse. The Wiccans had to hold their services beneath a 30 foot tall cross if they wanted to do them at all and the head chaplain had been overheard to mutter that he didn’t consider their faith a real religion. That being the case, the inmates often create a lot of their own problems and blow things out of proportion in their zeal to screw with the staff or the system.I found the whole thing quite draining to work within when I worked with the group. At least the first 15 to 20 minutes of any two hour monthly meeting that I came for was filled with the guys giving a list of their current issues and grievances with the staff. gener

  • Anonymous

    I didn’t say, or imply it’s all about me. I’m talking about how the Pagan community reacts over such situations. Your comment towards me is a fine example of pretentious Pagan bullshit. Congratz. Jenn

  • Topaz

    Americans themselves are a contentious and litigious lot. My parents immigrated to the U.S. and they couldn’t believe how many lawsuits happen here in the U.S., most being stupid and frivolous. That never happened in their country.As for prisoners, they can held accountable but not others? It doesn’t work that way. The people who violate what little rights prisoners have need to be held accountable and suffer the consequences for their behavior. Nobody should get away with violating the rights of ANYONE including prisoners.