It turns out that the Media Research Center is not a fan of free speech or property rights when they can’t be used to advance its right-wing narratives. The hate-filled (and easily triggered) Tierin-Rose Mandelburg ranted in a Dec. 12 post:
The Satanic Temple of Iowa set up an altar on the first floor of the Iowa state Capitol building as a form of free speech and religious freedom, the Des Moines Register reported. In response, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) insisted that the display is part of a “free society” and was blasted for her words.
The Satanic Temple allegedly received permission and followed protocol to get the display set up. It features many candles, the Satanic Temple logo and a red-caped figure that represents the pagan idol, Baphomet. The figure also has a silver ram’s head, and the display highlights the “seven fundamental tenets” of Satanism.
According to a local news report, the department of administrative services said, “there’s a procedure to apply for getting to have [a] display” at the statehouse and the Satanic Temple did follow it.
The Satanic Temple followed the rules! The horror! Mandelburg then pushed the idea of getting rid of getting rid the governor for advocating for free speech, citing random anonymous Twitter users as backup:
Reports allege that there is a nativity scene in the Capitol but personally, this Satanic display really shouldn’t be allowed. “Tolerance has its limits,” one user commented on X. Others went straight to blasting Gov. Reynolds.
“I think it’s time we find a new governor. This Satanic statue at our capitol shows how weak she is on fighting for Iowan’s,” a user wrote on X.
[…]As much as I am an advocate for free speech, this country was built on Christian values, not principles from Satan. This is a mockery of Christianity.
Mandelburg doesn’t seem to understand that it’s not the government’s job to promote one belief-related message over another or to protect a certain religion from mockery, and if she wanted this display removed she is, in fact, not an “advocate for free speech.”
When a man vandalized the display — thus destroying private property — Mandelburg used a Jan. 31 post to cheer the violent behavior and complain that he is facing consequences for his actions:
So beheading a statue of Satan is a hate crime but shooting Christian kids isn’t?
U.S. Navy Veteran Michael Cassidy was just charged with a hate crime after beheading a statue of Satan at the Iowa Capitol back in December. Naturally, users are outraged at the hypocrisy of our “justice” system who punished Cassidy but at the same time allows the left to attack Christian or traditional values daily.
Controversy struck this past holiday season when the Satanic Temple set up an altar on the first floor of the Iowa Capitol building. The set up featured a caped figure that looked to be a ram-headed Baphomet. The shrine also had a list of the “seven fundamental tenets” of the Satanic Temple.
At the time, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds (R) insisted that the Satanic Temple could keep their display up as it was a representation of free speech and religious freedom.
This outraged Cassidy who took the head off of the statue and tossed it in the trash. He ended up turning himself over to police officers and said that he “saw this blasphemous statue and was outraged.”
[…]Now, over a month later, Cassidy has been charged with a “third-degree criminal mischief in violation of individual rights, a class D felony, according to Iowa Code Section 729A.2.,” The Blaze indicated. In layman’s terms, a “hate crime.”
In response to the charge, users on X were peeved.
Mandelburg approvingly quoted anti-transgender activist Riley Gaines (who has made a lucrative career out of losing to Lia Thomas) playing whataboutism by having “brought up the Nashville shooter with her comment about Cassidy’s charge” claiming that wasn’t called a “hate crime” (perhaps because the shooter was killed and no legal designation could be made), adding: “She’s right. Killing innocent children based on their race and religion isn’t a “hate crime” but knocking a metal head off of a statue that literally represents evil is? Is this some sort of joke?”
No, it’s vandalism and destruction of property, and Cassidy shouldn’t be excused from committing a crime because right-wingers like Mandelburg approve of that crime. Apparently right-wingers no loner care about law and order either if a crime is committed to advance right-wing narratives, and it’s still considered a hate crime even if Mandelburg hates it too.
UPDATE: Mandelburg served up a related whine in a Dec. 13 post that “In lieu of the Christian holiday of Christmas, both the gays and Satanists decorated trees for Wisconsin’s ‘Festival of Trees’ event,” further whining: “Satanists and those who don’t follow the Bible’s teachings, like people who celebrate living as a gender that God didn’t assign, likely don’t celebrate Jesus’ birth. Therefore, the Satanic Temple and the gay group even having a tree seems ridiculous.” She added of the Satanic tree: “This tree is blasphemous and disgraceful. Christmas is for those who celebrate Christ and this is the complete opposite of that.” Mandelburg doesn’t seem to understand that blasphemy is not a crime and that it would be a violation of the “free speech” that the MRC professes it loves to make it one.