Magical Meredith

Our classroom discussions regarding modern-day witchcraft encouraged me to delve further into the current lived experiences of individuals who embrace witchcraft wholeheartedly. I wanted to learn more about the thought-processes of these individuals and what led them to Wicca, hoping to gain deeper insights into their journeys and motivations. One NPR article, written by Mallory Yu, stuck out to me: “'I was tired of God being dead': How one woman was drawn to witchcraft"  https://www.npr.org/2023/11/01/1209962039/witchcraft-wicca-wiccans-witches A summary is as follows: Diana Helmuth's journey into modern witchcraft, documented in her book "The Witching Year: A Memoir of Earnest Fumbling Through Modern Witchcraft," reflects a significant evolution from skepticism to personal discovery. Growing up in Oakland, California, Helmuth initially encountered witchcraft through a friend who practiced Wicca. However, as someone shaped by a philosophy that valued intelli...

As I dive deeper into The Salem Witch Hunt , I noticed that the treatment of witches, particularly during the Salem Witch Trials, mirrors the themes discussed in Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow . Just as the criminal justice system has been used to oppress and control African Americans through mass incarceration, historical events like the Salem Witch Trials highlight how societal fears and prejudices can lead to the systematic targeting and persecution of marginalized groups. In The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness , Michelle Alexander reveals that the old Jim Crow laws that had relentlessly enforced racial oppression and segregation have been supplanted in modern times by the criminal justice system. Despite the sale and usage of illegal drugs occurring at similar rates across all racial groups, African American males are incarcerated on drug charges at rates 20-50% higher than their white counterparts. Once released from prison, convicted felon...