I’ve read many articles on “coming out of the broomcloset,” equating living as a Wiccan with living as a homosexual: each has to live a life shrouded in secrecy for fear of how (and how severely) they will be judged. This Halifax, Nova Scotia article details the attacks on a Wiccan and her friends as they left their residence; the attack was based on prejudice toward the Wiccans due to religious intolerance.
As someone who hedges between old-school Catholicism with a little bit of Gnosticism thrown in and a nature-based, Wiccan form of religion (with the knowledge that Catholicism is largely based on Paganism; we annexed not only them but their holidays so that the conversion would be less painful), and as a heterosexual, I have no knowledge of what it is like to keep parts of myself from those I love. I know there are certain opinions I keep to myself (such as religion and politics) so that I don’t rock the familial boat, but I have a family that operates on mutual respect: I respect their tradtional, sometimes naive, beliefs and opinions, and the respect my liberal, sometimes idealistic and fanciful ones.
The woman quoted in the article describes reading Scott Cunningham, and how his writing completely resonated with her. 
I think that is the most beautiful thing. If the writings of Soren Kierkegaard fuel my fire, I don’t think anyone is going to attack me for holding the wrong belief. Likewise, if the writings of Billy Graham get you going, few people would inflict harm on your children because their parents happen to be fundamental Christians.
I think what it boils down to is that in this post-9/11 America, we are so ready to raise a flag and praise God. Not that that is necessarily a bad thing. But it becomes bad when we base ideas and beliefs on fears (e.g. all Muslims are radical and are therefore to be feared; homosexuality is not in my Bible, and even though it has been commonplace for centuries, it is different from me and therefore scary or wrong; democracy is the only way to go and therefore we need to police the world and start wars). If you are truly a Christian, you would follow the Golden Rule and treat others as you want to be treated; do you want someone chaining you to a fence, beating you, and leaving you for dead because you are a heterosexual? No. If you don’t want to be treated that way, why would you treat others this way?
I’m not sure who the ad campaign belongs to, but when I was fourteen I found this in a magazine; I cut it out and pasted copies on all of my school books (a suburban junior high is never nice to liberal ideas. Or liberal kids, for that matter). I still think nothing quite says it better: “It’s time for the army of conformity to put down their weapons, and LET THE FREAK FLAG FLY.”
Photo from hfx.com.
:: 
:: 
