America and Afghanistan share shame of religious intolerance.

Nevada National Guard Sgt. Patrick Stewart gave his life for his country when the Chinook helicopter he was in was shot down in Afghanistan in September.

But those wishing to honor Stewart, who should have his name on the memorial wall at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Fernley, 34 miles east of Reno, would have a difficult time doing so.

The space reserved for Stewart, right next to Chief Warrant Officer John Flynn, his comrade from Sparks who also died in the attack as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, is vacant.

Stewart was a follower of the Wiccan religion, which is not recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs for use in its cemeteries.

"It's completely blank," Roberta Stewart said, pointing to her husband's place on the memorial.

She said she had no idea the pentacle could not be used on her husband's memorial plaque until she had to deal with the agency after the death of her husband.

"It's discrimination," she said. "They are discriminating against our religion.

Okay I admit that this is not in the same category as what is happening in Afghanistan. But it is discrimination nonetheless. If we are to be a country of religious freedom then how can we justify not extending it to this religion which is arguably much, much older then Christianity, or even Judaism.

The real problem with the Wiccans is that they have been portrayed as Witches and Satanists by Christianity. This is really a case of a dominate religion villifying another belief system. Is that something that we in this country should allow?

I know that it appears that I have been on an anti-religious tear as of late but I hope that most of you can see that it is not religion that I am so frustrated with, it is hypocrisy cloaking itself in religious garb. I just hate hypocrisy!

To find one religion more worthy then another is the very definition of religious intolerance. If we accept one, we must accept all.