Discrimination concerns for occult store and marriage laws.
Practical Magick
Re: “What the Hex” (Briefs, July 3): We are the owners of The Sacred Grove, the subject of the “What the Hex” follow-up article.
It seems clear from the response by Mr. Mariolo's attorney, David Meyberg, that we were correct in our assumption that we were discriminated against because of our religion. His lawyer states that Mr. Mariolo got the impression that we were evil based on some of the symbols of our religion. To wit: “Mr. Mariolo looked around the store and was not enthusiastic about the skulls and other items which appeared to be representative of evil” were the exact words uttered by Meyberg.
Your article also (erroneously) states that our “lease application was denied.” This is incorrect. The entire issue is that we were never given an application in the first place. Mariolo came by to drop it off, but we never received it after he saw the Santa Muerte altar. Therein lies the problem.
Be that as it may, his little shop front was actually our fourth or fifth choice, and we would like to thank the Santa Cruz community for the huge outpouring of support, attention and publicity we have received regarding this matter.
We are opening our beautiful, spacious, sunlit new shop downtown on Aug. 1 at 701 Front St.
Come by and see what all the hubbub is about.
Birch Tree and Zarya Ash
Santa Cruz
Defining Moment
Re: “On Prop. 8” (Letters, July 17): Mr Darwin fails to recognize that although marriage can be a religious sacrament to those that are religious, it is not exclusively a religious sacrament, but a social union and a legal contract. The state has every right to intervene when there is any form of discrimination, whether sexual, racial or religious.
He may define marriage as a purely spiritual relationship or a religious relationship, and he may not be alone in that belief, but it is not necessarily true for the secular members of our society, nor its government. Being married gives certain rights pertaining to inheritance taxes and retirement benefits for example, that would be denied to those that are not legally married.
Larry Raphael
Aptos
FROM THE WEB
Tenants for Tenants
I would advise Mr. Birch to also check the landlord-tenant laws in that state. I believe it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, religion, etc.
Morgan T.
Drink Up
Re: “Maybe Nut” (Wellness, July 10): Coconut water has from ages shown its medicinal properties to mankind. Coconut water not only helps in replenishing the electrolytes, it also has the ability to supply various other essential minerals and vitamins to the human body. Of course, coconut water is always much better than fizzy soda drinks.
Vair Clair
Get Off My LAN
Re: “Cones for Phones” (Letters, July 10): Curmudgeon shakes fist at newfangled technology. News at 11.
Cayce Pollard
