Thor’s Hammer Approved For Veteran Headstones and Markers

[fjfritz]

No fanfare, no announcements, just a simple addition to a list but it means so much.

U.S. Department of Affairs lists Thor's Hammer

[RandallS]

U.S. Department of Affairs lists Thor's Hammer

Good.

[FollowerofOdin]

Good.

 
I agree, glad it happened.

[Cabal]

No fanfare, no announcements, just a simple addition to a list but it means so much.

U.S. Department of Affairs lists Thor's Hammer

Good to know!!

[Hyacinth Belle]

no fanfare, no announcements, just a simple addition to a list but it means so much.

u.s. Department of affairs lists thor's hammer

 fabulous!

[Tamina]

No fanfare, no announcements, just a simple addition to a list but it means so much.

U.S. Department of Affairs lists Thor's Hammer

 
As a Combat Veteran, I'm pretty excited about this. Here's hoping that when my time comes, I'll have something on that list that represnts me and I won't be settling for something else.

I hope more continued to be added!

[Scent of Pine]

No fanfare, no announcements, just a simple addition to a list but it means so much.

U.S. Department of Affairs lists Thor's Hammer

 
Awesome!

[DashesAgainst]

No fanfare, no announcements, just a simple addition to a list but it means so much.

U.S. Department of Affairs lists Thor's Hammer

Great news!

[Muzaror]

No fanfare, no announcements, just a simple addition to a list but it means so much.

U.S. Department of Affairs lists Thor's Hammer

 
This is both unexpected and interesting. Especially for a country as Christian as the US. Maybe European countries are going to follow this example, so I won't have to be buried in the US

[Sage]

This is both unexpected and interesting. Especially for a country as Christian as the US. Maybe European countries are going to follow this example, so I won't have to be buried in the US

 
Back around 2007 we won the VA Pentacle Quest, which was a decade-long legal battle to have Wiccan or Pagan veterans the option of having a pentacle on their gravestone. I'm really glad to see that Heathens have their holy symbol approved, too.

[sailor]

Back around 2007 we won the VA Pentacle Quest, which was a decade-long legal battle to have Wiccan or Pagan veterans the option of having a pentacle on their gravestone. I'm really glad to see that Heathens have their holy symbol approved, too.

 
If I remember correctly the long delay was in trying to get the VA to issue a decision.  If the VA had said no, the petitioners could have gone to court, or at least to the administrative appeals ladder. By not issuing a decision, the VA could have been hoping people would just give up and go away.

Prediction - it will get easier in some ways to get new symbols approved.  My expectation would be that a showing of significant numbers of people / an organization use a symbol would be the requirement.  So if ADF wanted to put one of their symbols on gravestones it would be relatively easy.

[sailor]

This is both unexpected and interesting. Especially for a country as Christian as the US. Maybe European countries are going to follow this example, so I won't have to be buried in the US

 
I think taking a closer look at how the US actually works you'd find that the US is a lot less institutionally Christian than many EU countries.  For example we don't have US tax money going to to run official state churches.

[victoreia]

I think taking a closer look at how the US actually works you'd find that the US is a lot less institutionally Christian than many EU countries.  For example we don't have US tax money going to to run official state churches.

Let's just hope it stays that way! The current political climate has me thinking (half-seriously) about moving to Australia or New Zealand.