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REGARDING MAD, MAD HOUSE & FIONA HORNE -
A RESPONSE TO CRITICS
A CALL FOR COMMUNITY

FROM PHYLLIS CUROTT, H.Ps., J.D.

Having now watched the first two episodes of Mad, Mad House I feel
ready and compelled to respond to those who criticized Fiona Horne's choice to participate. Some of the criticism has come from individuals I know and for whom I have the highest regard, some criticism comes from individuals I've never met. My response is not personal, but goes to the deeper issues that have arisen and that have caused me grave concern. My hope is that this experience will provide an opportunity for us, as individuals and as a community, to grow together in our spirituality and our treatment of one another as an expression of that spirituality.

First, I was deeply disturbed to see criticism before anyone had seen the show. We are a community that suffers from judgments made out of ignorance and, of all people, we should not behave in a similar and unfair manner.

Second, I was deeply disturbed to see criticism of a personal nature made against Fiona Horne's character and motivations by people who do not know her, and who had not seen the show. While the initial promotional items may have raised some concerns about how we would be treated on national television, those concerns do not justify a public rush to judgement against a member of our own community. Our spirituality means nothing if we do not practice it - and that means that we treat each other with compassion and tolerance and respect, especially when we disagree.

Third, whether you agreed with Ms. Horne's choice or not, she is still a member of our community and should be treated with the same respect you would want if people disagreed with your choice.

Fourth, if we decided not to participate in media because of the risk of being publicly humiliated, Gerald Gardner would never have come out of the broom closet and the current Wiccan, Witchcraft and Neo-Pagan movement might not exist. It certainly would not be the movement we have today - the fastest growing spirituality in the U.S.

As someone who has been public since 1985, who has placed her legal career on the line to speak out on behalf of our community to correct the negative stereotypes and to fight for our religious freedom, I did so knowing that I would probably be humiliated. I knew I was being viewed through a distorted lens but the risk was worth the result. My goal was to fix that distortion with the truth, a strategy that has had great success. Often media outlets where one would expect to be portrayed badly, such as Hard Copy, New York Magazine, the National Examiner, or Bill O'Reilly were those with the most respectful coverage. And media where I would have expected to be treated respectfully, such as the New York Times, or the PBS show Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, were condescending and inaccurate.

If we made our decisions based upon fear we would still be in the broom closet. We choose to be public in spite of criticism because we are courageous enough to try to change people's negative opinions whenever an opportunity presents itself. In fact, the show has vindicated Ms. Horne's faith that she, and we, would be treated fairly.

Fifth, those of us who have done a lot of media know that we have done a good job if we have managed to get three critical points across: 1) That there is no Satan in our religion; 2) that we worship a Goddess and a God; and 3) that we are a spirituality which experiences the world as sacred. Fiona Horne had done her job impeccably in both the first and second shows. The ritual over which she presided was carefully conceived, skillfully guided and respectfully presented on-screen. If she did nothing else for the remaining episodes, she served our community commendably and she should be thanked for her personal courage in doing so.

Sixth, Fiona Horne has conducted herself with dignity, strength, focus, compassion, sensitivity and wisdom. Sheis a priestess we should be proud of.

Seventh, at this critical moment in our political history, it is mad for us to be tearing each other limb from limb when we should be concentrating our energies on defending our fundamental civil liberties from fascist onslaught.

Finally, because personal attacks were made upon her in a public forum I wish to step forward and offer a personal defense. I have known Fiona Horne since meeting her in Australia in 1999. She threw open the door to me with complete generosity of spirit and action and is one of the most genuine and\ good-hearted souls I know. She was a rock star on the scale of Gwen Stefani in Australia, and, in fact, opened for Gwen and No Doubt on her American tour. She came out of the broom closet after stardom, using her public notoriety to fight prejudice. Anyone who has the pleasure of meeting her will not be meeting a "rock star." They will be meeting someone who is real, warm, genuine, honest, caring, smart, brave, generous and deeply committed to the best interests of our growing community.

I was privy to her personal struggles regarding whether to accept this show, and her sincere concern that Wicca, and Witchcraft, be presented fairly.
She was given extensive reassurances and after many meetings, and much thought and soul searching, decided she would take the risk. Her hope, her expectation was that she would be able to pursue her career and represent our community in a manner that would be respected. I shared her concerns, as did many of you who voiced early criticisms, and I was concerned for her as well. It takes great courage to step up to the plate and from where I sit in front of my television set, we were damn lucky that it was Fiona Horne that was given the opportunity, and that she chose to seize it. Her career in the public eye has given her unique media skills, apparent in the way she comports herself and articulates important ideas in accessible ways. But more importantly, she practices her spirituality with fullness of heart and deepest conviction. And that is what is most powerfully and genuinely communicated in her public appearances.

Regardless of what you may think of the rest of the show, Fiona has handled herself admirably and deserves not only our respect, but our gratitude for taking a challenging opportunity and transforming it into a gracious expression of this powerful faith, That's real magic.

Thank you for taking the time to read my concerns and to give them thought.
PWC March 11, 2004 NYC

PHYLLIS CUROTT - SHORT BIO

Phyllis Curott has been an attorney and Wiccan Priestess for almost twenty-five years. Curott was honored by Jane Magazine, along with Hilary Clinton, as one of the Ten Gutsiest Women of the Year. She is an outspoken
advocate for the rights of Witches and Pagans in the media and in courts and won Witches the right to perform marriages in NYC and public rituals in Chicago. Ms.Curott teaches and lectures internationally and has addressed the Parliament of the World's Religions, UN conferences, Interfaith groups and universities. She is founder of the Tradition of Ara and President Emerita of the Covenant of the Goddess. She is also the author of the best-selling and internationally published Book of Shadows and WitchCrafting: The Spirituality of Making Magic. She received her B.A. in philosophy from Brown University and her Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law.