TVSquad

nutjob :)

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Considering that Salem does a very brisk business in witches, even having 'resident witches,' and making much money from those poor dead people, who were NOT witches, I hardly think a statue is going to destroy the town. I'm a Wiccan, and I would rather see a statue of Samantha, than the silliness of the pseudo 'witches' who prance around the town.

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Well, MJ, when my mother and I visited Salem when I was 12, it made me, "as a pagan" at the very least (I'm not strongly orthodox in any of our Wiccan branches, so I hate to non-specifically represent more than I am...) Not feel like a Freak.
Mecca.
Home.
And yes, there's a bit MUCH, certainly, on a commercial aspect of things, but until very recently this was one of the few places in the country a person could be...
I digress. Apparently.
Very REAL things happened in that town. And I have to support the man who looks to the dead and says "Wait a @#(*@#ing second!"
It's like if they put a 'Hogan's Heroes' tribute out across from a concentration camp. Inappropriate placement ... not putting down the content on it's own merits or faults.

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Why on Earth would they put that statue in Salem instead of somewhere like say, Hollywood?

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I agree with most of the above posters. While I think a bewitched statue would fit in at Salem (for tourists if nothing else), putting it opposite the site of those who died in the trials seems a bit much -

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The nature of some of these Posts reminds me that Ms. Montgomery's fight for Human Rights is far from over. SEXISM is alive and well.

There are memorials all across this country, several right here in Salem, and they are generally of men. Some are of men we recognize; others are of men few have heard of. I've never heard a single person question the credentials of these statues of MEN.

"Hey, it's a MAN, HE must have done something great to have a memorial erected."

But put up a Statue of a WOMAN, worse yet, a BEAUTIFUL WOMAN?

"No, No, No. That's wrong, She must be just a bit of fluff. Her statue's a disgrace!"

To dismiss Elizabeth Montgomery because of her LOOKS, without taking a moment to see what HER life was about - THAT'S WRONG.

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Hey Where was This guy back in the 70's when they had the three parter about the witch trials and the network and the town (whitch was filming there) put up Street signs promoting the show .
I believe that'swhat is called a double standard .
the only GOOD reason that this man has to protest this statue; would be if he himself is a wiccan, was deacended from one of the people who were falsly accussed or if having the statue there;would denigrate or otherwise damage the towns Image( he is about 400 years too late.
on that last score) . as to whether he was unduly and excessivly manhandled I can't judge but I think the dameges he's asking are excessive.
if that was his concern. .he needs too
is if

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The man also happens to be in his 80s and was physically accosted by Salem police - something the salem po-po are renowned for! Thrown into a small cell and verbal assaulted and demeaned by the fine law enforcement! All because a group of people were protesting something they believe to be wrong - the only man arrested was an elderly man! Anyone with any knowledge of the hysteria will see a pretty obvious parrallel here! I have known and worked with him for several years in the tourism industry in Salem and he is by far the most amazing person I have ever known in my life! He is not sueing for the money but for the principal of the matter - the police had no right to treat anyone that way for peacably supporting there views. Anything less than a million would not be taken seriously in our society or our courts - and also happens to be above the amount they offered him prior to his lawsuit, a fact often unknown by the public. They know what they did was wrong and didn't want it to become a public issue.

In regards to the statue itself - the reason it was unwanted comes down to 3 primary reason (and any number of smaller and more persoanl reasons depending on who you ask) - first and foremost it trivializes the experience of those who suffered through the witch hysteria and the lesson we should have learned from it - but obviously didn't.
Second because it has no relevance to the city or the hysteria, which was not about witchcraft (which was as real then as anything else that went bump in the night) but about fear, apathy, and the reason we don't allow religion and government to mix. They filmed one part of one episode here - not enough to give it any true association to Salem. More of Hocus Pocus was filmed here and you don't see any statues of Bette Midler or Sarah Jessica Parker in Salem do you?
Witchcraft was created in the twentith century by Gerald Gardner and Aliester Crowley, so they could see women get naked - and I am sure if they realized that only a few decades removed it would be a group of gay men and fat divorced women in black velet and leather they would have thought twice about it! Not to demean those who practice it for its actual natural views - but after 10 years in Salem I have seen a much less pure verison of the original intentionin its so called "mecca"! If I hadn't spent so many years in tourism I may not have met Wiccan from other areas of the world, who actually have pure intentions in their practice, and would have no positive view of the religion! So to them i apologize - but i also know they have probably seen the same rot i've seen. Luckily for me I have been able to witness that side of the religion and not just those who pray on the ignorance of the masses with potions made at ye olde A.C. Moore designed to bend the will of those around them without their consent. In Salem those are called Love spells, but they sound a lot more like rape of one's free will! Don't get me wrong I am not some crazy right wing god freak - I have studied Magick for well over a decade.
Which brings to me in a very round about way to the 3rd and final point, the statue was used as a shameless promotion of a movie which everyone knew would need as much help as possible - staring a man who came to Salem and hated it - openly and on TV! Hated it because it was enough like Disneyland - the one thing Salem should never be - despite the mayors attempt to turn it into a sideshow attraction!
So before you assume anything perhaps you should look at a situation from all of the angles and not just the one placed in front of you.

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