A former Mississippi political candidate is facing criminal charges after a bedazzled statue of Baphomet, a figure associated with the Satanic Temple, was discovered decapitated at the Iowa State Capitol.
Michael Cassidy, 35, a former U.S. Navy pilot, told Fox News that he saw the controversy surrounding the display, which was heavily criticized by Republican politicians like Ron DeSantis, and drove to the Iowa Capitol to see it for himself. He said it hit a “nerve” and went on to destroy it.
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According to an archived version of his campaign website, Cassidy pushed for a 10-year prison sentence for anyone who destroys a statue in his own state.
Cassidy was arrested and faces vandalism charges, which could carry a one-year prison sentence and a $2,560 fine. He has since been released
Why is he not being charged under Iowa’s hate crime laws?
Yep. Otherwise who’s to say a random cross somewhere doesn’t ‘strike a nerve’ precedent of him getting away w it just leads to chaos.
“I saw the cross and it struck a nerve. When I think of those men in those dresses molesting children… I saw red, white, and blue… and I knew I needed to stand up for those children’s freedom from this den of paedophiles”
This is the news story I’m waiting for. If only the people larping as protectors of children knew the call was coming from inside their own house of worship.
There’s at least some who know and don’t really care. They’re just there to feel accepted and popular.
Because those laws only exist to protect christians?
I would like to see this, although I wonder if the correct answer is that religion is not a protected group. If religion is a protected group, this is a hate crime.
I don’t know the right answer. Religious persecution is a real thing and has caused the deaths of countless people across the years that humans have existed. BUT Christians aren’t being persecuted in America (at the moment at least) and have an undo influence on the levers of power. I feel like a good thing to do would be to give the IRS teeth and and have individual Churches or Church organizations that violate the terms of their non profit status actually lose it and have to pay taxes on the huge amount of wealth they own (mostly land but I am sure other shit).
Yes, all churches need to pay taxes.
Nuh uh! Churches do charity work so they need to be tax free. — any christian we’ve argued with over this on the internet.
See, the thing about charity work is, it’s tax deductible!
Come now, we both know Christians would just then cry that non-belief isn’t a religion.
In fact, I’m pretty sure I remember hearing that come up in the past… They’re using motivated reasoning. They want a specific outcome, not a set of principles applied.
I understand though what we need to realize is that this isn’t simply “non-belief”. Satanic temple members have strongly held beliefs as part of the core tenants of satanism. It’s a non-superstitious religion. It’s just as valid a religion as christianity or islam.
I agree with you, I’m just pointing out that the Christians are not using logic or reasoning despite using words that might convince you otherwise.
I can’t argue with that.
this is a hate crime and it’s not being charged as such because our government favors violent christian fundamentalist terrorists
I’m scared he might run for president and actually win.
His headshot looks like Jeff playing the dean.
He looks like he couldn’t handle male pattern baldness so he went completely shaven, but he needs the beard or else he’ll look like the freshly shorn scrotum Dr Evil was talking about.
Take off the bald cap.
I AM BALD!!
Lights, camera, DEAN!
According to an archived version of his campaign website, Cassidy pushed for a 10-year prison sentence for anyone who destroys a statue in his own state.
I’m sure he expects exactly the same punishment for himself.
Surely he’s ideologically consistent
/s if anyone really needs that
Seems like a Perfect setup for a judge to sentence him with. It won’t happen, but it should.
He traveled across state lines to commit a hate crime, he should be getting some serious charges not some slap on the wrist BS
I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before. Make sure future statues are in pentagrams, and put a little side blurb that “maiming, disfiguring, or destroying this statue will complete the act of sacrifice to the deity”. Basically, anyone who defaces the display is, in effect, performing the “ritual of display destruction” - which pleases TST.
Yo, any card carrying Satanists here that can run this idea up the flagpole?
A card carrying satanist is just someone who paid $30 for a card (me!).
When I reached out to the “local” group they were pretty tight lipped and I never followed up. I was just asking about volunteering opportunities and they seemed almost offended I was emailing them.
I should try to reach out again.
According to an archived version of his campaign website, Cassidy pushed for a 10-year prison sentence for anyone who destroys a statue in his own state.
Well well well, let’s see if he sticks to his guns or of he’s going to be your typical Republican hipicrite little bitch…
hilarious. the power demonic symbols have is bestowed entirely by christian idiots who think that shit is real.
What a dickhead.
This guy hits a nerve for me.
So it’s OK if I destroy him, right?I mean, using his reasoning anyway.
I think it should become customary that if a politician advocates for a certain punishment for a crime, and then commits that particular crime, that they receive the punishment they advocated for (within the bounds of current law of course). He wants a 10-year prison sentence for destroying a statue, he should get a 10-year prison sentence for destroying the statue.
Seems like this would be a hate crime. Very un-American behavior from this Republican goon.
No true American. Don’t a significant amount of Americans think and behave like him ergo making it American behavior.
America is a melting pot of people and cultures and religions from all over the world. Republicans don’t like this. They want a Christian Nation.
I think they meant it in reference to the stated ideals. Kind of like how so many of the ardent Christians in this country act in a very “un-Christian” way. Obviously we know the way real Christians act is all over the map, but they can be judged against the ideal of Jesus or his teachings.
American vs un-American isn’t as well defined, but I think it was meant as favoring truth, justice, equality, inclusivity/melting pot, etc. Again NOT an accurate representation of the real population.
A significant amount of Americans support a would be dictator who would gladly make himself dictator for life, but that doesn’t make it American behavior.
This is the first time in history Iowa’s Satanic Temple chapter has been allowed to put up a display at Iowa’s state capitol alongside holiday displays from other religious groups.
This will only make him more popular with the MAGoos. He won’t spend a day in general population but will be a ‘martyr’ for his great suffering.
For reference, the seven tenants listed next to the destroyed display:
I One should strive to act with compassion and empathy toward all creatures in accordance with reason.
II The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit that should prevail over laws and institutions.
III One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone.
IV The freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend. To willfully and unjustly encroach upon the freedoms of another is to forgo one’s own.
V Beliefs should conform to one’s best scientific understanding of the world. One should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit one’s beliefs.
VI People are fallible. If one makes a mistake, one should do one’s best to rectify it and resolve any harm that might have been caused.
VII Every tenet is a guiding principle designed to inspire nobility in action and thought. The spirit of compassion, wisdom, and justice should always prevail over the written or spoken word.
It makes a lot of sense to me why Christians would be against this.
Tenets to live by if you ask me. I wished we all did.
TIL I’m a Satanist.
As am I, apparently.
Welcome! As in all things, be mindful of those with ill intentions, but most of us are perfectly swell people. :)
