[Ben Lahnger]

I certainly thought the article was beneficial for the culture and community in general. Especially in light of the fact that it did go some ways towards dispelling popular strereotypes and misconceptions.

I understand the risk involved in taking the inquiries of reporters lightly, as sensationlistic journalism has burned many subcultures before. But nature abhors a vaccuum, and journalism does too.

A friend of mine is a devout, practicing Wiccan. Some time last summer, a warning came out throughout the online Wiccan community that the television program WifeSwap was looking for a Wiccan family to participate. And the alert went out that said no one should participate, as it was just going to be an opportunity for the media to portray the culture in an unflattering, stereotype-reinforcing manner.

So what happened? All the serious practicioners and believers abstained from responding to the shows inquiries, but they certainly found a Wiccan family that fit their needs. The show aired a few Mondays ago, and as I watched it I was stunned by how absolutely looney these people seemed. It was a farce!

This episode did more to reinforce every negative stereotype about Wiccan's than anything I have seen in years. And the show did not have to do any kind of creative editing or manipulation; this family was the lunatic fringe of the Wiccan community!

Now it may be that the show would have sought that kind of family anyway, but since the whole community refused to submit a mainstream representative of what they really practice, we'll never know for sure. And the community can now only mount a feeble protest, as they did not offer to tell their own truth when they had the opportunity.

“For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it.” - Ivan Panin (Russian mathematician 1855-1942)