I tried to figure out how to make an auto-post from my blog to my LJ, but it's not happening. So you'll just have to find me here: http://kerrplunk.org.
(Please note top two posts currently are about killing a goat. If that's not interesting to you, plz to skip down.)
(Please note top two posts currently are about killing a goat. If that's not interesting to you, plz to skip down.)
...I would totally be following the @physicallaws.
I'm moving out at the end of the month, and my quirky studio cottage is up for rent. For more: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/roo/149
I need to go see a farm. Could use a ride, or else I'll get a ZipCar and would love to have someone willing to take their life in their hands ride with me on my first driving trip in more than a year.
Claude Levi Strauss just died. I didn't know he was still alive.
Also, it looks like one of my posts which I had set to Private went public at some point without my noticing. I've fixed it, but you might want to check to make sure nothing like that happened to any of yours.
Also, it looks like one of my posts which I had set to Private went public at some point without my noticing. I've fixed it, but you might want to check to make sure nothing like that happened to any of yours.
By way of the Wild Hunt blog:
“We are a Pagan congregation that is encountering entrenched discrimination in upstate New York and currently in court fighting for our rights as a minority religion. The Maetreum of Cybele is a Goddess-centred, reconstructionist religion. Although we are not Wiccan, many of us come from Wiccan backgrounds and still practice as such. We have been noted in Margot Adler’s “Drawing Down the Moon, Pat Telesco’s “Which Witch is Which” and Raven Kaldera’s “Hermaphrodeities”. Our founder has been active in the Pagan Community since the 60’s.
We own real property and run a brick-and-mortar establishment in the Town of Catskill in Greene County, New York. Our property consists of a historic former Catskill Inn called Central House and approximately 3+ acres of land with an outdoor Temple/Grove in the hamlet of Palenville. We purchased the property 2002 and turned it into a Pagan Temple and Convent. A Pagan Convent you ask? No, it’s not a contradiction in terms. What we do is provide both temporary and permanent housing for Pagan priestess who wish to dedicate themselves more fully to serving their community as well as for purposes of spiritual retreat, safety and growth.
Not long after we purchased the property a local slumlord addressed a town meeting calling for us to be run out of town by way of zoning and building inspection harassment. While most of the people in town rejected his call and welcomed us, nevertheless over the course of the next several years we weathered continued harassment, vandalism, threats to “burn us out” followed by harassing and illegal inspections.
We incorporated in 2005, put the property in the name of the religious corporation and applied for property tax exemption which was granted in 2006. The following year the renewal of the exemption was denied without given reason ironically enough within weeks of our Federal 501 (C)3 status being approved. The Town of Catskill has continued to deny our exemption to this day in open violation of New York tax law which mandates the property tax exemption for religious and charitable organizations.
Today our situation is that we are considered behind on these illegal taxes and thus in potential danger of having our property taken away which is probably the motive here. Our case is currently in court however we were forced at the last minute to go “pro se” (represent ourselves) because the attorney we were working with would not represent us in court. Under New York law we must have a lawyer represent us because we are incorporated and we have been ordered by the court to hire a lawyer. We were actually ordered to use all our connections and networking so this letter is actually by court order - believe it or not.
We have also contacted the Department of Justice. Because, after three years of refusing to give a reason for the denial, we were told this year it was because of a zoning violation which is actually prohibited by Federal law under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000. We are hoping, as provided by the law, that the DOJ will pursue criminal charges.”
Their home page here
I profiled the Maetreum for my college thesis about ancient and contemporary understandings of the Gallae. They, particularly the Rev. Battakes Cathryn Platine, struck me as warm, welcoming, genuine, and intelligent people. I would really like to see them recover from this blow. If you know a lawyer who could represent them I would really appreciate if you could put them in touch.
“We are a Pagan congregation that is encountering entrenched discrimination in upstate New York and currently in court fighting for our rights as a minority religion. The Maetreum of Cybele is a Goddess-centred, reconstructionist religion. Although we are not Wiccan, many of us come from Wiccan backgrounds and still practice as such. We have been noted in Margot Adler’s “Drawing Down the Moon, Pat Telesco’s “Which Witch is Which” and Raven Kaldera’s “Hermaphrodeities”. Our founder has been active in the Pagan Community since the 60’s.
We own real property and run a brick-and-mortar establishment in the Town of Catskill in Greene County, New York. Our property consists of a historic former Catskill Inn called Central House and approximately 3+ acres of land with an outdoor Temple/Grove in the hamlet of Palenville. We purchased the property 2002 and turned it into a Pagan Temple and Convent. A Pagan Convent you ask? No, it’s not a contradiction in terms. What we do is provide both temporary and permanent housing for Pagan priestess who wish to dedicate themselves more fully to serving their community as well as for purposes of spiritual retreat, safety and growth.
Not long after we purchased the property a local slumlord addressed a town meeting calling for us to be run out of town by way of zoning and building inspection harassment. While most of the people in town rejected his call and welcomed us, nevertheless over the course of the next several years we weathered continued harassment, vandalism, threats to “burn us out” followed by harassing and illegal inspections.
We incorporated in 2005, put the property in the name of the religious corporation and applied for property tax exemption which was granted in 2006. The following year the renewal of the exemption was denied without given reason ironically enough within weeks of our Federal 501 (C)3 status being approved. The Town of Catskill has continued to deny our exemption to this day in open violation of New York tax law which mandates the property tax exemption for religious and charitable organizations.
Today our situation is that we are considered behind on these illegal taxes and thus in potential danger of having our property taken away which is probably the motive here. Our case is currently in court however we were forced at the last minute to go “pro se” (represent ourselves) because the attorney we were working with would not represent us in court. Under New York law we must have a lawyer represent us because we are incorporated and we have been ordered by the court to hire a lawyer. We were actually ordered to use all our connections and networking so this letter is actually by court order - believe it or not.
We have also contacted the Department of Justice. Because, after three years of refusing to give a reason for the denial, we were told this year it was because of a zoning violation which is actually prohibited by Federal law under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000. We are hoping, as provided by the law, that the DOJ will pursue criminal charges.”
Their home page here
I profiled the Maetreum for my college thesis about ancient and contemporary understandings of the Gallae. They, particularly the Rev. Battakes Cathryn Platine, struck me as warm, welcoming, genuine, and intelligent people. I would really like to see them recover from this blow. If you know a lawyer who could represent them I would really appreciate if you could put them in touch.
Thank you thank you thank you ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92.2)
qianian, not only for helping so much today, but also for offering to help again later. You're awesome.
( There's this ridiculous story to go along with this bed moving thing. )
qianian, not only for helping so much today, but also for offering to help again later. You're awesome.( There's this ridiculous story to go along with this bed moving thing. )
