Could a seven-foot-tall statue of Satan soon be erected at the Capitol of a state that sits right on the buckle of the Bible Belt? It sure could, if the New York-based Satanic Temple gets its way.
The proposed structure would stand at the Oklahoma state Capitol, next to a Ten Commandments monument that has raised the ire of the ACLU for being “self-evidently exclusive.” The Satanic Temple’s proposal is meant to appease the ACLU’s concerns and “complement and contrast the Ten Commandments monument.”
Says the temple’s leader, Lucien Greaves:
“It’s not a call to war against one side or the other, it’s actually a call for reconciliation to have a plurality of voices. There is no singular voice of the Oklahoman, you need to embrace the diversity of your population and see that no single politician’s view represents the entirety of the law abiding citizenry in Oklahoma.”
Greaves says his proposed monument — which looks pretty awesome, even though it has all the ingredients of a terrifying True Detective crime scene — is gaining support. He submitted his design after a request from the Oklahoma Capitol Preservation Commission. And while the the Commission has placed a moratorium on making a decision on the Satanic monument while a lawsuit against the Ten Commandments monument is making its way through the courts, Greaves is confident that his plan will be approved. So confident that he’s moving forward with creating the structure.
Funding will not be an issue. The temple ran an Indiegogo campaign last month and blew right through their goal of raising $20,000. So if they get approval from the Commission, there’s a chance this thing will already be built and ready to move.
How are the locals reacting? Here’s a news report from Oklahoma’s News 9 that breaks down the situation further and features a few interviews. (Spoiler alert: Progressive college girls aren’t opposed, while old guys in cowboy hats think it’s a ridiculous idea.)
News9.com & NY Daily News; Image via The Satanic Temple
