We may live in the 21st century, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that everybody in the world has caught up to 21st century religious tolerance and open-mindedness. This week’s news is that a Wiccan TSA agent (who was reportedly highly skilled and competent at her job) was fired because a co-worker accused the agent of, of all things, “hexing” her car. Not even the co-worker… just her car. Yeeeah…
The Huffington Post reports:
Being a Wiccan isn’t usually a reason to lose your job, but it was in the case of Carole A. Smith, a TSA worker at Albany’s International airport who found herself officially out of work last June, after months of alleged harassment centered around her religion, according to MSNBC. But she hardly had a complaint before her co-workers found of she was a witch.
The 49-year-old Wiccan argues that her firing had almost everything to do with her practices. Prior to a March 2009 complaint when she was accused of putting a hex on a co-worker’s car, her record was nearly spotless.
She was in the top 10 percent in Albany at catching weapons on the X-ray machine. She passed her skills test on the first try. She caught a woman on her way to Vietnam with $30,000 in cash. And she didn’t mind working with the passengers—her training as a massage therapist kept her from being squeamish, as some officers were, about patting down elderly and special-needs passengers.
From that point on things got worse and worse, according to the MSNBC report. Smith’s file quickly bulged, and eventually she found herself in court fighting to get her job back.
What do you think—how is it even possible, in this day and age, for such claims to be taken seriously? And is the TSA, who have already been the target of America’s rancor for their new “enhanced” screening processes, stepping on the wrong toes yet again?
12 thoughts on “Woman Fired by TSA for Practicing Wicca”
This is incrediable! This is 2011 and still religious practices are not allowed. I hope Ms Smith wins, wins and wins. What a bunch of malarkey. May the Universe prevail this time!
Thinking of the Wiccan Rede she well may do, those of us who follow the wiccan path also know the wiccan rede and there is a part which tells you that whatever you do is returned threefold to you, but it works not just for wiccans, but all people, I’ve seen it in action too, so I certainly would try not even to think bad thoughts if I could avoid it (unfortunately we can’t all do that, in today’s world) let alone treat someone badly because I may not like something about her I live with my mother-in-law, she’s old school Irish Catholic, need I say more, and I’ve lived here over 20 years,because of the difficulty of getting a home of our own, and I haven’t done anything to her, though sometimes it has been very hard, especially when my son was younger, Some people have some very strange ideas of what witches do anyway and certainly don’t think any can be anything but bad, we know different, but how to educate the ignorant or just plain nasty ?
unfortunately as a government employee the best she will get is her job back with back pay, which they will then tax as a bulk payment, no fix for all our late fees loss and the ding to your credit, not to mention to your emotional damage and the fact that now the world knows her as “witch” I have suffered similarly at memphis IRS, but am now in
Denver where it is tolerated and even accepted to be me, and not into someone elses mold. I especially suffered at the hands of a particular so called Christian group, who damaged my car vandalized my desk and tried to sabotage my job. it took 3 years and in the end they acknowledged they harassed me but claimed it was race not religion and since i didnt mention race in my complaint i technically lost. a quote from my case you would love..”we all knew she was a witch just not if she was a good witch or a bad witch” strains of follow the yellow brick road run thru my mind every time i think of it, lol.Blesings on this brave woman she has a long fight ahead of her
Hail and Well Met !!! Morgana, So nice to see you on the blog !!!!
You know, this article bugged me so much, that I clicked on the link in the article and listened to this lady speak about her ordeal. It was filmed in her home, where it showed her 2 cats and a dog.
I going to try to contact her just to see if she could use a bit of financial help to , at the very least, support her animals until she can go back into court with an attorney by her side this next time around.
I hope the other Wiccans who live close to her reach out to help her as well…..something tells me they will.
Blessed Be )O(
Gina Rose ext.9500
A prime example of how fear in the unknown effects the behavior of people…it’s sad but I have a really good feeling she is going to rewarded……
Many Blessing to her,
Abigail~
Hi,
Oh this is not good, I just wish people would educate them-selves on different beliefs, before jumping the gun. My prayers are with this lady and her family.
Blessings and Big Hugs!
Jacqueline x9472
Thank you so much for sharing this tragic story. It is a sad fact that religious discrimination still exists, and although we aren’t hung, burned or drowned anymore…there is still a very long way to go. I can only echo each and every sentiment expressed by Gina Rose…this path often finds you, not you choosing it, and it certainly isn’t for the weak. Because of the personal responsibility and action demanded by our beliefs…I feel she most certainly will have the last laugh and sue the pants off of them to keep it from happening again. (And I REALLY want to see the video of this trial)…as any true wiccan will tell you…”hexing” goes against the Rede….so no wiccan would even dream of spelling a persons car (negatively anyway;)
The broom closet is overly full folks…if we can but be brave enough to come out of it…our numbers will demand respect! We all owe a touch of gratitude to this courageous lady for putting herself out there and fighting the good fight! (we shall be with you in spirit!)
Brightest Blessings….Merry Meet to the lovely Gina Rose and her daughter!
Morgana )O(
I’m with Gina Rose. What an outrage! Thank you for letting us know about this situation as I had missed hearing about it. I’m looking for a way to offer support to the lady. Does anyone know more about this?
How is this prejudice more acceptable than other religious prejudice?…boggles the mind.
PS….
Would love to see them actually PROVE in a court of law, ANY court of law, she put a hex on a co-workers car ! LOL !
In doing so, IF they could prove that in a court of law, it would indeed validate that magick does exist.
Needless to say, she has a heck of a discrimination suit based on choice of religion.
( I say that because I have actual ” hands on experience ” with Labor Board discrimination type suits. When I managed a corporation, years back, it was part of my job to represent my company before the board of labor.)
Blessed Be )O(
Gina Rose ext.9500
And this is the kind of stuff that happens, when the religious fanatics run amok. It’s ok to tolerate haters and bigots, crashing funerals of people. I wished someone would fire those jerks!
It is absolutely amazing to me how many ridiculous notions and opinions some crazy people spew in public, without any consequences. Ack!
Hi,
You know, this article really took the sunshine out of my day……
…looking back at history,more wars and battles, more blood has been spilled, fighting over religous beliefs than any other reason. When will it stop?
Wiccans overall, are very open to other religions.
I personally, have many Christian, Jewish, Buddhist , and friends from many other religions…..and some who do not believe in any faith at all. I never have judged people by what ” God ” they pray to….or what spiritual path they walk.
Blessed Be )O(
Gina Rose ext.9500
HI,
You know, my daughter & I, both Hereditary Wiccans have fought for our rights, and the rights of others for many years now…..and this news is sad.
It still shows that there is much work to be done.
I think many people think that Wiccan/Pagan groups are a small group of eccentrics……
…..but I’ve read for very important CEO’s of companies and prominent people that include Doctors, Lawyers, etc.,…. in many walks of life, for DECADES now, that are still hiding in the ” broom closet ” , afraid to show their true faith for fear of backlash.
Wicca is not only the oldest spiritual path known to man……but is now THE fastest growing religion in the USA today. Even our own military now recognizes Wicca as a religion.
I hope the woman in this article sues the heck out of them……and wins.
Oh well, it could have been worse, I actually have ancestors that were burned and hanged for practicing Wicca. But there is still much work to be done.
Blessed Be )O(
Gina Rose ext.9500