Last December 2023, Michael Cassidy, a former Republican congressional candidate from Mississippi, was horrified to discover that a religious group he objected to had set up a holiday display in the Iowa State Capitol. Cassidy, a good Christian soldier, thought this sacrilege needed his personal attention. He leaped in his car, drove the 830 miles from his home in Lauderdale, MS. to Des Moines, IA. and ripped the head off the Baphomet statue the Satanic Temple of Iowa had erected on public property to celebrate the holidays.
Cassidy said he did not plan to vandalize the display. But after he saw it, he “became convicted” he had to act. He told the Des Moines Register:
“I went to the Capitol to see the idol. When I saw it, I was confronted with how evil it was and felt convicted that I should remove it.”
He added, “I pulled the head off the statue. The display seemed to be made of cheap material. I pulled it apart and put it in a garbage bag. Then I went to security and told them what I did.”
He then elucidated his motivation.
“I grew up in a country that was founded on Christian principles and in America that generally promoted good ethics and public displays of virtue. The evil display and the lack of action surprised and offended me as a Christian.”
He added that people need to “stand up for what is right” And that “Satan is evil, and glorifying evil is not an American value.”
The Satanic Temple took the unwarranted destruction of their property calmly. Cassidy’s religious snit did not dampen their seasonal goodwill.
"This morning, we were informed by authorities that the Baphomet statue in our holiday display was destroyed beyond repair. We are proud to continue our holiday display for the next few days that we have been allotted."
"We ask that for safety, visitors travel together and use the 7 Tenets as a reminder for empathy, in the knowledge that justice is being pursued the correct way, through legal means."
"Solve et Coagula! Happy Holidays! Hail Satan!”
The Iowa Department of Public Safety charged Cassidy, 35, with fourth-degree criminal mischief. A conviction could carry a sentence of one year in prison and a $2,560 fine.
His vandalism attracted the usual crew of conservative harrumphers, including Ron Desantis. The Sentinel launched a begathon to cover Cassidy’s legal expenses. It quickly raised its target of $20,000 — $10,000 from Turning Point USA. The fund has now reached $90,000.
Yesterday, Cassidy chatted with conservative gadfly Stew Peters on his eponymous show. He said that when he saw the Satanic display, he was overcome with “righteous indignation” that something “so offensive” and “so anti-Christian” was allowed to be on display in a state capitol. He, therefore, took it upon himself to destroy it.
Peters, a virulent, far-right, anti-LGBTQ fanatic, whose values include homophobia, white nationalism, antisemitism, violence, and a love of conspiracy theories and ant-vax hysteria, agreed that Cassidy was right. He claimed Satanists have no right to mock Christians.
“Righteous indignation is exactly right, and rightfully so. This is Satan mocking us. By putting this Baphomet [statue] inside of the Iowa capitol building in Des Moines, that is mockery!
That is Satanists and Satan’s minions mocking Christians, mocking Christianity, mocking the very value system that this country was founded on that they then turn around and use as their justification that, ‘We have the right to do this.’ No, you don’t! No, you don’t.”
Yes, they do! Yes, they do! The First Amendment gives all Americans the right to mock whatever group they choose. Peters himself embraces that treasured national value every day when he uses his show and social media to mock — and worse — people who offend him. Just as I have the right to say that Stew Peters can go fuck himself — if I choose to do so.
