Education for your Local Community

I was considering a quote the other day from the Wild-Hunt Blog.

I'll say this up front, the article is about the Tuscon, Arizona shooting reporting last week, a horrible thing to happen, and my heart and prayers go out to all those affected, as well as to those potentially using the situation for their own ends. It's not specifically about that incident.

It's the item of Police education in the Occult that caught my eye:

"Self-proclaimed “experts” in “occult crime” are dangerous. They peddle fear and misinformation. They inflate problems, and classify things in manners that support their view of the world. That they continue to have influence over local police forces is troubling, to say the least."

- http://wildhunt.org/blog/2011/01/quick-notes-dr-carlos-gonzales-michael-savage-and-don-rimer.html

Erie, and surrounding areas have a very active Pagan community. I doubt there are many that have had to discuss details with Law Enforcement due to an issue, but if you have, there's a little bit of stereotype/misinformation that you have to get over first (and perhaps we've been lucky on who we get).

But, is there a way to open a dialog with the police that says "we're here", and that these are the misconceptions that sometimes you have to consider (ie. A skull may not equal a satanic altar, it depends on context of other objects, and the person; Like being a connection to the Ancestors of blood and bone. Not saying it excuses a person, but it's not a simple as look and decide).

Not saying that everyone needs to put their name on a something, but we've a number of public people and groups in the community, who could be in an organizational position to say "these are the people, and some of their beliefs, that you may encounter in your community, and it doesn't mean Evil, that's down to the individual, not the generalization!". Not saying we have to tell the press that there are "experts" to drag into the limelight, or paint a target on our backs.

I may not have much knowledge of school visits, and police work here in the US (I recall back in England the anti-drug talks from the police). But I don't know if they know, or even have an idea on where to look for resources, on the difference between "items found in the woods" or "a dangerous cult" and, say, a Coven, Grove, solitary practitioner, etc... .

And if you don't know of this, have a look at the late Isaac Bonewits' The Advanced Bonewits’ Cult Danger Evaluation Frame: http://www.neopagan.net/ABCDEF.html (it's good for people to gauge how any sort of religious organization before they get involved)

I just wondered about peoples thoughts on the matter.