Category: News

Isaac Bonewits (Oct. 1, 1949 – Aug. 12, 2010)

Isaac Bonewits, noted Pagan author and instrumental voice in the Druidic spiritual movement has passed, August 12th, 2010. You likely heard over the weekend. What we can add is some insight into his Minnesota connections and influence.

Isaac Photo From ADF.org

Magenta, well-known TC Elder, knew Isaac well in the early 70’s and was for a time part of his household.  From her recent LiveJournal Entry: “He was a hell of a lot of fun, gave great parties, was a very joyous, humorous, and sensual man. I was part of his household, off and on, from June 1974 until he left town in the fall of 1976.

Isaac moved to St Paul, MN in the spring of 1974 to take a position as editor of Gnostica Magazine. He held that position for a couple of years, publishing fascinating material and adding humor, a rare thing in those days. Because of Isaac’s involvement with Llewellyn, his friend Robert Anton Wilson was a guest speaker at the Gnostica Festival in 1974.

While Isaac was in the Twin Cities, he started a Reformed Druids of North America grove, which met weekly during the summer half of the year, from Beltaine to Samhain, at the park at the base of the Witch’s Hat Tower. This may have been the first Pagan organization here that was not connected to Witchcraft or ceremonial Magick.
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Election 2010 – Minnesota Primary Vote Tuesday

To comply with new federal regulations, Minnesotans vote in their first ever August primary – Tuesday, August 10th.  Experts concerned with how expected low voter turnout could impact the general election results in November.

September primaries have been a tradition in Minnesota since 1939, but passage of the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act forced state lawmakers to move to an earlier date.  This law helps ensure that votes cast  by military members and other US citizens living abroad have time to be counted back home. All states must now provide at least a 45-day window between the primary and general election to accommodate absentee voting.

Some political experts predict the change in date will negatively impact voter turnout with some expecting a turnout as low as 12%.  The two main reasons given for why the expectations are lower this election are a decreasing sense of party loyalty and August being the most popular time of migration to cabins and lakes.

In Paganistan many of our community members are at the Sacred Harvest Festival.  The festival opened Saturday and attendance appears to be higher this year than last year.

According to Justin Lindquist, “I got there right at noon on Saturday and there were already more tents set up than last year.  Definitely more people are attending this year.”

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More Local Reaction to Target Campaign Contribution

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In continuing coverage of the Target Corporation campaign contribution story, the PNC interviewed local Pagans for their reaction.  Robin Grimm lives in Minneapolis and is a prominent member of the Pagan community.  Paul Anders is a Solitary living in the Rochester area.

To read our previous article about the cause and background of the issue, plus an interview with a Minneapolis GLBT Pagan who works for Target, please go here.

Late last week, Laura Hedlund (right) and Sue Skog, both of Eagan, Minn., protested in front of a Target store. Photo credit - Craig Lassig

Question:  In general, what do you think about corporations and unions spending funds on political issues?

Robin: Generally I am opposed to anything other than individual human beings being able to contribute to political campaigns or political issue campaigning. Corporations, unions, etc. are all made up of individuals that have the right to have their voices heard. Non-biological entities have no business in politics.

Paul: I don’t like how much money is in politics.  It makes it hard for individuals to be heard.  I guess all that money is just how it is, though.  I believe in freedom of speech and I guess if a guy believes in that he can’t just say that only some people get it.  Groups should be able to express an opinion on most anything and if you want to express a political opinion you need to use cash to do it.

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Target Corp Comes Under Fire for Campaign Contributions

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Gay rights supporters call for boycott of Target amid allegations the corporation supports homophobic hate speech.

An Eden Prairie woman vents her anger at Target over their political contributions

The first controversy in Minnesota over the Supreme Court ruling allowing Corporations to donate money to political candidates is under way. Target Corporation’s contributions are linked by some gay rights activists to an anti-gay marriage Gubernatorial candidate who is associated with a Christian rock band that lauds the execution of homosexuals in Muslim countries. Target, headquartered in Bloomington,  says its donations to political candidates are based on economic considerations and points to its history of supporting GLBT causes. A Minneapolis GLBT Pagan says that Target is being wrongly portrayed as hostile towards diversity issues.

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