Goddess and God handfasting, rainbow burst

Asheville's 18th Annual

Samhain Public Ritual: Love is the Law

Samhain Public Ritual: Love is the Law

Mass Wedding & Handfasting

Wed., Oct. 31, 2012, 7-11 PM, Asheville, N.C.

Discriminatory Vendor

Pagans, LGBT folks, people of color ... anyone who isn't white and far-right in the South still often encounters fundamentalist, homophobic, or racist discrimination and bigotry just when they're least expecting it. It always surprises and stings when you approach someone as a fellow human being, only to discover they've labelled and judged you as an inferior object.

Seeking to rent an outdoor sound system for the Samhain Public Witch Ritual, *Diuvei contacted Stewart Sound, a local company we'd been told was the go-to audio supplier for outdoor events. Every Southerner who's Pagan or gay knows to steer clear of any business that puts Christian code on its ads or website such as a cross, Jesus fish, or "John 3:16", but we saw none here — so we were astounded when the owner rejected us with an email ending with a quote in SHOUTING CAPS by an anti-gay televangelist. Even the Bible points out that God and Mammon don't mix ... all the more so, one would think, when your business depends on concerts and rallies in the most spiritually and culturally diverse city in N.C.!

Here is the full email exchange:

Request for estimate   Inbox 
   Steve Rasmussen 	 Fri, Oct 12, 2012 at 2:55 PM
To: "chad@stewartsound.net" 
Cc: Coven Oldenwilde HPS 
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Could you give us an estimate for sound-system rental for a non-profit outdoor event this 
Oct. 31? The event is the 18th Annual Public Witch Ritual sponsored by Coven Oldenwilde, 
7-11 pm at Roger Mcguire Green in Pack Square Park, downtown Asheville (details: 
oldenwilde.org/samhain). We would be playing pre-recorded music from iPod or CDs, so mainly 
just amp and a couple of outdoor speakers -- also one or two wireless mikes for the leaders 
of the event to speak into.

I left a message with your rep at 683-4156 this aft, but email might be easier so I'm also 
sending this. 

Thanks,
Steve Rasmussen, HP
Coven Oldenwilde
828-251-0343
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   Chad Stewart 	 Tue, Oct 16, 2012 at 12:52 PM
To: Steve Rasmussen 
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Steven,
Thank you for the email and the opportunity to provide audio for this.  However, I must 
respectfully decline. 
All my best,

Chad Stewart
President
Stewart Sound Inc. & Stewart Stage Works Inc. 
2935 New Leicester Hwy
Leicester, NC 28748

www.stewartsound.net

828-683-4156 Office
866-252-5620 Fax
828-215-4156 Cell
 

"TALENT, LIKE JUSTICE, IS BLIND; IT WILL SEEK ALL OPPORTUNITIES THE
SAME. BUT WHEN YOU ARE COGNIZANT OF DIVINE PURPOSE, THERE ARE SOME
THINGS YOU WILL NOT DO BECAUSE THEY WOULD DEFEAT THE PURPOSE OF GOD IN
YOUR LIFE! FOR INSTANCE, IF IT IS YOUR PURPOSE TO BLESS THE BODY OF
CHRIST IN SONG OR MINISTRY, THOUGH YOU MAY BE TALENTED ENOUGH TO ASPIRE
TO SOME SECULAR PLATFORM OF EXCELLENCE, IF YOU ARE COGNIZANT OF YOUR
PURPOSE, YOU WILL DO WHAT YOU ARE CALLED TO DO. BEING CALLED ACCORDING
TO PURPOSE ENABLES YOU TO FOCUS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR TALENT AS IT
RELATES TO YOUR PURPOSE."

Bishop T.D Jakes