The Anti Chive- Cogent, Relevant, Topical
2003-07-04 14:10:04 UTC
Wiccan group abandon plans for a school
HOOPESTON, Ill., July 2 (UPI) -- Townspeople say prayer did it but Wiccan
leaders say religious intolerance forced them to drop plans for an
alternative religion school in central Illinois.
Wiccan leader Ed Hubbard compared the Salem witch trials with a Hoopeston
City Council meeting that attracted about 100 people, all vehemently opposed
to the teaching of witchcraft.
The Rev. Timothy Kovalcik, pastor of the East Lynn United Methodist Church,
had organized a meeting for people to pray the school wouldn't open. He told
the Champaign (Ill.) News-Gazette: "When Christians pray, things happen."
The Wiccans were in the process of purchasing a 102-year-old building in
Hoopeston and planned to open the school in September.
Hubbard told the newspaper the modern-day Wicca religion teaches reverence
for the four elements of nature: earth, air, fire and water. He said the
school would have held seminars, broadcast around the world via the
Internet.
He said he'd resume his search for a school site elsewhere.
Wiccan group halts plans after Hoopeston meeting
By NOELLE MCGEE
© 2003 THE NEWS-GAZETTE
Published Online July 2, 2003
HOOPESTON - Citing an atmosphere of intolerance, and fear for their
safety, Wiccan leaders said they are abandoning their dream of opening a
school that teaches the alternative religion in Hoopeston.
"I basically felt this was the Salem trials of the 21st century,"
Ed Hubbard said, referring to Tuesday's Hoopeston City Council meeting.
The meeting drew about 100 residents, most of whom vehemently
opposed the project.
"We're not giving up (on East Central Illinois) yet," continued
Hubbard, chief executive officer of Chicago-based Telepathic Media, which
had planned to open the school in the former Grant Township building. "But
we are giving up on Hoopeston. ... I made a promise on my first day out
(that) if the town really didn't want us, we wouldn't move there. We didn't
feel safe. The chief of police escorted us to our car and said very politely
that he thought it was best that we leave town."
Residents who opposed the project rejoiced over Hubbard's
announcement that Wiccan leaders would pull out.
"I'm quite surprised ... but I'm very pleased, obviously," Pastor
Timothy Kovalcik said, adding he believes divine intervention was at work.
On Monday, Kovalcik, the minister of the East Lynn United Methodist Church,
organized a community meeting during which people prayed that the school
would not open.
"I believe that prayer changes things," he said. "Yesterday was
simply about praying, and when Christians pray, things happen."
Hubbard and his partner, the Rev. Don Lewis, who is originally from
Danville, had hoped to open the school in a 102-year-old building at 200 E.
Penn St. in September. They were buying the building from Watseka Realtor
Larry Tobeck and Arlen Alwardt for $40,000, and the real estate closing was
set for Monday.
According to Hubbard, the modern-day Wicca religion teaches
reverence for the four elements of nature: earth, air, fire and water.
Hubbard said he thought the spacious building, which had a 120-seat
theater, would have been ideal for seminars and classes, which, he said,
would have been broadcast all over the world via the Internet.
However, the school immediately drew ardent opposition from many
residents of the small, predominantly Christian town. In just over 24 hours,
opponents collected 386 signatures on a petition, saying they opposed the
sale of any property where witchcraft would be taught. They presented Wiccan
leaders with the petition at Tuesday's council meeting, and expressed their
disapproval of Wicca.
"We felt physically threatened," Hubbard said. "All I know is that
I could not protect the people who worked in that building or visited."
Mayor Chalmers Flint disagreed that the environment was hostile.
"Nobody threatened them," he said. "There was one guy who got a little
rampant, but that guy was 80 years old."
Hubbard said he will resume his search for a school site in the
Danville and Kankakee areas, where many members are from.
HOOPESTON, Ill., July 2 (UPI) -- Townspeople say prayer did it but Wiccan
leaders say religious intolerance forced them to drop plans for an
alternative religion school in central Illinois.
Wiccan leader Ed Hubbard compared the Salem witch trials with a Hoopeston
City Council meeting that attracted about 100 people, all vehemently opposed
to the teaching of witchcraft.
The Rev. Timothy Kovalcik, pastor of the East Lynn United Methodist Church,
had organized a meeting for people to pray the school wouldn't open. He told
the Champaign (Ill.) News-Gazette: "When Christians pray, things happen."
The Wiccans were in the process of purchasing a 102-year-old building in
Hoopeston and planned to open the school in September.
Hubbard told the newspaper the modern-day Wicca religion teaches reverence
for the four elements of nature: earth, air, fire and water. He said the
school would have held seminars, broadcast around the world via the
Internet.
He said he'd resume his search for a school site elsewhere.
Wiccan group halts plans after Hoopeston meeting
By NOELLE MCGEE
© 2003 THE NEWS-GAZETTE
Published Online July 2, 2003
HOOPESTON - Citing an atmosphere of intolerance, and fear for their
safety, Wiccan leaders said they are abandoning their dream of opening a
school that teaches the alternative religion in Hoopeston.
"I basically felt this was the Salem trials of the 21st century,"
Ed Hubbard said, referring to Tuesday's Hoopeston City Council meeting.
The meeting drew about 100 residents, most of whom vehemently
opposed the project.
"We're not giving up (on East Central Illinois) yet," continued
Hubbard, chief executive officer of Chicago-based Telepathic Media, which
had planned to open the school in the former Grant Township building. "But
we are giving up on Hoopeston. ... I made a promise on my first day out
(that) if the town really didn't want us, we wouldn't move there. We didn't
feel safe. The chief of police escorted us to our car and said very politely
that he thought it was best that we leave town."
Residents who opposed the project rejoiced over Hubbard's
announcement that Wiccan leaders would pull out.
"I'm quite surprised ... but I'm very pleased, obviously," Pastor
Timothy Kovalcik said, adding he believes divine intervention was at work.
On Monday, Kovalcik, the minister of the East Lynn United Methodist Church,
organized a community meeting during which people prayed that the school
would not open.
"I believe that prayer changes things," he said. "Yesterday was
simply about praying, and when Christians pray, things happen."
Hubbard and his partner, the Rev. Don Lewis, who is originally from
Danville, had hoped to open the school in a 102-year-old building at 200 E.
Penn St. in September. They were buying the building from Watseka Realtor
Larry Tobeck and Arlen Alwardt for $40,000, and the real estate closing was
set for Monday.
According to Hubbard, the modern-day Wicca religion teaches
reverence for the four elements of nature: earth, air, fire and water.
Hubbard said he thought the spacious building, which had a 120-seat
theater, would have been ideal for seminars and classes, which, he said,
would have been broadcast all over the world via the Internet.
However, the school immediately drew ardent opposition from many
residents of the small, predominantly Christian town. In just over 24 hours,
opponents collected 386 signatures on a petition, saying they opposed the
sale of any property where witchcraft would be taught. They presented Wiccan
leaders with the petition at Tuesday's council meeting, and expressed their
disapproval of Wicca.
"We felt physically threatened," Hubbard said. "All I know is that
I could not protect the people who worked in that building or visited."
Mayor Chalmers Flint disagreed that the environment was hostile.
"Nobody threatened them," he said. "There was one guy who got a little
rampant, but that guy was 80 years old."
Hubbard said he will resume his search for a school site in the
Danville and Kankakee areas, where many members are from.