Something Wicca…

Here’s a story from the Daily Mail of (alleged) intolerance in a small English town:

It sounds like a horror story straight from medieval times. Two witches descend on an ancient market town – only to be targeted by terrified Christians calling for them to be burned at the stake. But for father-of-one Albion and his partner Raven, 39, this is no historical event – it is a modern nightmare. The Pagan couple opened their shop The Whispering Witch in the quaint town of Alcester, Warwickshire, around 15 months ago and claim to have been subjected to a hate campaign ever since.

‘People shout ‘burn the witches’ as they go past and we’ve had others urinating up the window,’ said Albion, 51.

‘I found a pile of wood stacked in front of the door one morning.

‘We’ve also had letters quoting extracts from the Bible telling us not to ‘promote the work of darkness’ in ‘their town’. ‘I can only assume this is the work of Christians. The handwriting looks as though it’s from an adult. It’s like living in the 16th century.’

Well, not quite. But even so, those responsible should be ashamed of themselves.

That said, this took me aback:

What we are suffering is racism from people with a 16th century mentality.

It goes without saying that Albion and his partner Raven should be allowed to go about their business without interference, but I was intrigued by the fact that Albion has decided to pin the blame on “racism”.

Racism?

If you wonder why that term runs the danger of being drained of all meaning, this story is not a bad place to begin.

Mind you, a local Baptist clergyman isn’t above a bit of (a different type of) PC cliché himself:

Reverend Alistair Aird, from Alcester Baptist Church, condemned those behind the attacks but added: ‘My impression is that people in the town don’t feel that this is the kind of thing they want in Alcester. The murmurings are what I have picked up whilst walking around town from mothers, who have talked to me in the street.’

Ah, of course. “From mothers”.