The township of Prestonpans, Scotland, is taking this Halloween to publicly pardon the 81 people (and their cats) who were executed for witchcraft during the 16th and 17th centuries... "It's too late to apologize, but it's a sort of symbolic recognition that these people were put to death for hysterical ignorance and paranoia," said historian Roy Pugh, who presented evidence to the Scottish court that issued the pardons... Adele Conn, spokeswoman for the court, said "There will be no witches' hats, dress-ups or that sort of thing — it will be a fairly solemn occasion..." Conn said 15 local descendants of executed witches had been invited to attend the pardoning ceremony...

Mayor Stanley Usovicz, of Salem, Massachusetts (U.S.), is intrigued by the idea... During the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, 19 people were hanged and one was pressed with heavy stones for allegedly practicing witchcraft, and over 200 people were jailed for the same charge... And while many of the accused Salem witches were exonerated by the Massachusetts Legislature in 1957, "I am not sure there has ever been an official declaration by the city government of Salem," the Mayor said... "I would have to take a look at that..." A good date for such a pardon might be in 2007, Usovicz said, the 315th anniversary of the Salem Witch Trials, "but I would suggest that anytime is a good time to forgive..."

suki idite na xuy

(ELtun on 7/26/2007 12:59:34 AM)