this post was submitted on 19 Dec 2023
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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.

According to an archived version of his campaign website, Cassidy pushed for a 10-year prison sentence for anyone who destroys a statue in his own state.

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[–] charonn0@startrek.website 94 points 10 months ago (4 children)

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?

[–] dipshit@lemmy.world 32 points 10 months ago (2 children)

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.

[–] MotoAsh@lemmy.world 28 points 10 months ago (3 children)

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.

[–] TopRamenBinLaden@sh.itjust.works 17 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Sucks for them. They apparently haven't heard of Title VII of the Civil rights act.

"Religious beliefs include theistic beliefs (i.e. those that include a belief in God) as well as non-theistic “moral or ethical beliefs as to what is right and wrong which are sincerely held with the strength of traditional religious views.”

"Religious observances or practices include, for example, attending worship services, praying, wearing religious garb or symbols, displaying religious objects, adhering to certain dietary rules, proselytizing or other forms of religious expression, or refraining from certain activities."

Those quotes are from the US customs and border protection website here. Straight from the horses mouth.

[–] MotoAsh@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

It does suck for them, but that's never stopped them from trying and they even get unconstitutional laws on the books.

The mere fact something is illegal does not stop someone.

[–] TopRamenBinLaden@sh.itjust.works 2 points 10 months ago

Oh for sure, it is scary how they can do mental gymnastics like that. All it really takes is a corrupt judge that follows the Bible more than they follow our laws and constitution to be able to sidestep that, too. Thankfully, most judges do make their decisions based on our laws and constitution.

[–] dipshit@lemmy.world 13 points 10 months ago (1 children)

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.

[–] MotoAsh@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

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.

[–] dipshit@lemmy.world 0 points 10 months ago

I can’t argue with that.

[–] Fenrisulfir@lemmy.ca 6 points 10 months ago (1 children)

But it isn’t a non-belief. I wholeheartedly believe they’re wrong.

[–] MotoAsh@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

Hopefully no one will have to tell that to a judge. Religous extremists are a poison.

[–] Chocrates@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

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).

[–] dipshit@lemmy.world 0 points 10 months ago

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!

[–] Caradoc879@lemmy.world 27 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Because Iowa is still under a Christian stranglehold behind the scenes.

[–] madcaesar@lemmy.world 14 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Iowa used to be purple, it's since turned into a red shithole. You got a few bright spots in Des Moines and Iowa city, but the rest of the state is rednecks and meth heads.

[–] ThatFembyWho@lemmy.blahaj.zone 14 points 10 months ago (1 children)

but the rest of the state is rednecks and meth heads.

feels true about every state these days...

[–] grue@lemmy.world 7 points 10 months ago (1 children)

That's 'cause it is. There is no such thing as "red states" and "blue states;" there are only states that are a slightly higher percentage rural or slightly higher percentage urban.

[–] Frigid@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Haven't looked it up, but I'd be shocked if there is a single state where rural outnumbered urban.

[–] grue@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

I didn't mean to suggest "outnumbered;" I meant to say that the urban/rural percentages are slightly different between states and that that's what makes the difference in ideology.

More concretely, it isn't that Southerners are worse than anybody else; it's that rural folks everywhere are equally terrible. Urban southerners are just as cosmopolitan as northern ones and rural folks from (for example) Oregon are just as backwards and racist as rural folks from Georgia. The only thing that makes Oregon a "blue state" and Georgia a "red state" is that metropolitan Portland etc. make up a slightly higher percentage of Oregon's total population than metropolitan Atlanta etc. make up of Georgia's.

[–] zalgotext@sh.itjust.works 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Off the top of my head, I bet Montana fits the bill. Maybe one or both of the Dakotas too

[–] EmpathicVagrant@lemmy.world 21 points 10 months ago (1 children)

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.

[–] deadtom@lemmy.world 9 points 10 months ago (1 children)

"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.

[–] EmpathicVagrant@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

There’s at least some who know and don’t really care. They’re just there to feel accepted and popular.

[–] CheeseNoodle@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

Because those laws only exist to protect christians?