Open Letter to FPG

Dear FPG,

 I have enjoyed going to the festival for a few years and being with our community. I have so many wonderful memories. I am concerned that memories will be all I have left and will not be able to attend Florida Pagan Gathering again.

By saying The Frosts are welcome to present workshops, says that we as a group agree with what they have written about incest and sexual abuse of children. I do not agree. I am a police officer and what they have written and encouraged people to do, by writing about it in detail is disgusting. I hold myself and yes sorry, my fellow humans to a higher standard.

I would like this out in the open. A real discussion, no back door conversations. No deleting comments from YOUR COMMUNITY about concerns! It looks like you don't care or worse that you want to hide this issue.

Did the BOD or anyone connected with running the festival pay for the Frosts airfare? The ticket fees and accommodations? If so, don't hide it. I only found out yesterday that they will be attending. But I now see on their website they have known they were coming for a while. Didn't the BOD say that last time they attended would be the last time?

If The Frosts will not recant and apologize for what they wrote and condoned, which is RITUAL SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN, then they have no place in our community. The community at large has worked so hard to overcome the days of Satanic Panic and the fear that all Pagans sexual abuse children! Why give anyone a platform to be an influence on others if what they condone is immoral and illegal?

FPG you have a disappointed many loyal attendees and staff members who feel lied to and censored. You have questions to answer to YOUR COMMUNITY, the community that supports you....you do not have a festival without this community and it's money. I am happy to pay for the wonderful memories, but not at the cost of my integrity.

Love,

Amber

Coming All The Way Out!

Today is International Pagan Coming Out Day. I never had any intention of ever coming out to anyone, who does not already know. My Husband knows, my Mom knows, most of my friends (Hey MPP Chicas!) know. That is how it is and how I like it.

When asked by someone if they should come out, I always ask them, “Why”? It’s no ones business but your own. I never felt the need to stand up and tell anyone I was Catholic, when I was, why should this be different.

I always felt that as long as your significant other knew and was at least comfortable enough with it not to freak out, things were good. Why tempt fate, and all the ugliness that may show itself now that you are seen as “different”. I help run a great little pagan group called Moon Path Pagans, so I was not exactly “in the closet”. I never really thought of it as hiding...

But I was hiding. Afraid. Wondering what would the guys at work say, would my friend “Joy” still talk to me, would this put a wall up between me and those I love.

Today I am “Coming Out”.  All the way out! Why?

On Monday, I was diagnosed with Sarcoidosis. If you do not know what that is, don’t feel bad, neither did I. If you have heard of it, you may know, it is the disease that killed comedian Bernie Mack and NFL player Reggie White. The American Lung Association describes sarcoidosis as a disease characterized by the presence of areas of inflamed cells that can attack any organ of the body but is most frequently found in the lungs. I have it in just my lungs...for now.

To say that Monday was an eye opener of a day, is an understatement. I was happy to finally have an answer to why, I had not felt like myself since the beginning of the year. I was short of breath, and had chest pain behind my breast bone. I always tired, with a continuous cough. Sounds like a run of the mill pneumonia. Most pneumonia gets better with antibiotics and some time. Mine didn’t. A few tests later and now my life is different.

I may go into remission and be fine, or I may get worse. What does this have to do with coming out as a pagan? All I know, is the control, I once had over my life is no longer mine and I have things to do! There is no time to fear. I am Pagan. And I don’t have the time to argue about it. :-)