There’s a series on AMC+ called Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale, about a quaint, English village that proudly boasts a resident witch named Sarah Fenn. Everyone adores Sarah, right up until something bad happens. Although she had nothing to do with it, it is unanimously decided that it must have been her fault, and the entire town turns against her.
Every Pagan in America needs to watch that show and take copious notes.
On September 8, the satirical news website Jezebel ran an article titled, “We Paid Some Etsy Witches to Curse Charlie Kirk.” According to the author:
“I want to make it clear, I’m not calling on dark forces to cause him harm. I just want him to wake up every morning with an inexplicable zit. I want his podcast microphone to malfunction every time he hits record. I want his blue blazers to suddenly all be one size too small. I want one of his socks to always be sliding down his foot. I want his thumb to grow too big to tweet. To ruin his day with the collective feminist power of the Etsy coven would be my life’s greatest joy.”
Two days later, right-wing mouthpiece and gun violence apologist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University. Within hours, other news outlets picked up the Jezebel story and ran with it.
Jezebel quickly added an editorial disclaimer to the top of the article condemning the shooting, and the president of Paste Media Group — the company that owns Jezebel — released a statement explaining that the article was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. But here’s the thing: As much as we enjoy presenting ourselves as, like, spooky and edgy and one with the darkness, the general populace tends to view Pagans and witches as flaky, if not silly… until something happens. [cough cough Satanic Panic cough cough] No one at Jezebel intended to throw the Pagan community under the bus, but because the mainstream media is now involved, there are, out in the world, people who fully believe that witchcraft is responsible for the death of Charlie Kirk.
Over on WitchTok, Dr. Saraphima Voynich is encouraging her followers with Etsy shops to remove any personally identifying information, and to take down any listings for hexes or curses. (Even though all I offer through Etsy is lithomantic readings, I went ahead and set my own page to vacation mode for the time being.) This may seem like overkill, since Christian nationalists are currently more concerned with other targets, but rest assured, we have been bumped up a few spots on their list.
And maybe this will blow over. I mean, there are certainly a lot more pressing issues at the moment. But if it doesn’t, and the situation escalates, we are going to see an exodus.
You know those kids who get into witchcraft to cosplay oppression? The ones in their early twenties who are always like, “Ugh, somebody asked if I’m Wiccan. I am so tired of having to explain that not all witches are Wiccan.” Yeah, they’re going to find Jesus real quick. When faced with the threat of actual persecution, they will wrap themselves in privilege and choose self-preservation over anything else.
So what about those of us left behind to commiserate with Sarah Fenn? Well, it’s a tall order, but we’re going to need to be willing to support each other, and to fight for each other. And we’re going to need to be willing to set aside petty grievances in favor of collective safety.
And, most importantly, we’re going to need to be willing to not give up. Because that’s what Greyface and his minions are hoping we’ll do.
Again, this may not get any traction at all, but in case it sticks around… find your community. Take care of yourself. And if things do reach a point where the fascists actively try to come for us, never, ever comply in advance.
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