Her Death Must Not Be in Vain
By Apythia

This is a very special day for me. Even though I did not know the subject of my column, the circumstances surrounding her short life have haunted me since the first time I had heard about it. I still shed tears for girl I've never met.

Today marks the third anniversary of the tragic death of Tempest Smith.

For those of you unfamiliar with her story, let me share. This 12-year-old child with such sad eyes slipped a leopard-print scarf around her neck and hanged herself from her bunk bed.

"Everyone is against me. Still, death will come sooner or later for me. Will I ever have friends again?" her journal read.

The cause for all the teasing? Tempest had discovered Wicca and openly practiced the Craft.

This little girl was braver than a lot of grown ups I know. I know people who for whatever reason, are still in the closet. This child did not hide who she was.

And because of that, she found herself alone.

I ask you - Where were we?

We, the Wiccan community let Tempest down.

Our own fears cause us to practice in secret and to shield our beliefs. As a whole, we don't reach out and support each other like other religions.

You might be thinking that your coven supports you. This is great, but does your coven support other Witches? Are their open meetings in your area where people without covens -- people like Tempest -- can go and find support? When was the last time you helped another Witch? What have you done to better aid the Pagan community?

I receive e-mail from young teenagers all over the world who trying to find their way on this path. These children need our help. It is our responsibility to offer them our help and our hearts. At the very least, they deserve our attention and support.

I can't help but wonder if Tempest would be alive today if she had known to reach out to us. Would we have been there for her if she had?

It is the responsibility of each one of us to make sure no other child should suffer because of her faith. Here are some ways you can get involved:

u Sign the Tempest Smith Tolerance Pledge - an oath that states:

· I pledge my word and my honor to accept that another's belief, or non-belief, is just as sincerely held as my own.
· I pledge that when I see prejudice based on religion, be it taunting on a playground or whispered in a board meeting, I will stand and say, "No. This is wrong."
· I pledge that to the best of my ability, I will respect practitioners of other spiritual paths and treat them with kindness and courtesy.

u Take it one step farther and become active in the Pagan Pride Project in your area.

u Attend the monthly Witches Meetup or Witches Night out in your county. If there isn't one there, start it.

u Become a Mentor to a newbie Witch in need

u Offer your friendship and support by become a Pagan Pen Pal.

Bewitching Ways is launching a Pagan Pals section on our message board in honor of Tempest. If anyone would like to become a mentor or friend to someone new on the path, please post a message, including an e-mail address. If you are looking for a mentor, select from the posts or post a message yourself stating exactly what you'd like, be it a friend or a mentor or a teacher in a subject etc. This section just opened today, so check back often.