Halloween pardon sought for executed British witches

[moobu2]

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Campaigners in London planned to petition the British government Friday for a posthumous pardon for the hundreds of people executed for witchcraft between the 16th and 18th centuries.


Witchcraft has not been punishable by death for nearly 300 years.

They said Halloween is a good time to highlight the "grave miscarriage of justice" suffered by the men and women falsely accused of being witches.

Their petition asks Justice Minister Jack Straw to recommend that Queen Elizabeth issue a pardon.

"We felt that it was time that the sinister associations held by a minority of people regarding witches and Halloween were tackled head-on," said Emma Angel, head of Angels, a large costume supplier in London.
CNN

[moggie]

1. Sounds like a gimmick

While there were terrible injustices done, this petition is probably little more than a publicity campaign by a company which makes a fair chunk of its money hiring out Halloween costumes.

[moobu2]

3. So? No different

than the countless churches using silly superstitious gimmicks to gain political power and money. Only this is a whole lot less harmless.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. If there hasn't been a pardon, it seems fitting to do so now.

Many don't realize that the state of Massachusetts apologized and paid retribution to the families of those who died as a result of the Salem witchcraft trials. And it happened less than 20 years after the event. All that is being asked is a pardon from the Crown, not money. I don't see why this should be a problem.

Blessed be to all who celebrate Samhain today.