Productive Anger: Get The Wild Hunt on The Daily Show

Some days, anger overwhelms me. Some days it is hard to look at my wonderful friends and neighbors and remember that not all Christians are hateful. Instead, some days all I can focus on is the hateful, to watch them with a wary eye full of distress.

When the Washington Times thinks it’s appropriate to publish a column stating the Air Force Academy is “pandering” to my “fringe” religion, despite the fact that Pagans have fought and died for this country, I get angry.

Around the 1950s, fringe leftists enamored by the concept of worshiping the Earth adopted the ancient labels and pretended to follow the old ways.

When David Barton can advocate for a Christian government and actively work against my religious rights only to get away with lying about these activities on television, I get angry.

“The true historic meaning of “religion” excludes paganism and witchcraft, and thus, does not compel a conclusion that McCollum has state taxpayer standing … paganism and witchcraft were never intended to receive the protections of the Religion Clauses.”

When I have to deal with people who feel it’s appropriate to tell me I will burn in hell because they are the “keepers of the truth”, I get angry.

I get angry and I want to lash out. I want to enumerate the hatred, bigotry and discrimination practiced by some Christians. On these occasions I want to jump up on a soapbox and preach against Christian “on-true-way-ness”, reminding people of what they have done, and some still do, to other religions. I want to speak earnestly to you about Hypatia, Gemistus Pletho and Julian. About Olvir of Egg and all of the victims of Olaf I. About men and women who persisted in practicing their witcheries and werewolfry even with the threat of torture and death hanging over their heads.

I’m not going to do that though.

Instead I’m going to ask you to write The Daily Show and suggest they invite The Wild Hunt author and Washington Post columnist Jason Pitzl-Waters on the show to discuss David Barton and the real challenges religious minorities face in this country.

As a journalist he is familiar with the legal battle facing Patrick McCollum, the discrimination against Santeria, the triumphs of and challenges before the Lady Liberty League, the AFA earth-centered spirituality space, the Witch-Children of Africa and India, and many more stories important to our communities. He’s the journalist at the nexus of all of these stories, and he’s an excellent public speaker.

Take a moment, drop a line and join me in putting anger to good use.

ATTENTION: There is now a Facebook campaign to get Jason on The Daily Show!