Michael Reagan began his Feb. 2 Newsmax column with a lie:
A Christian was arrested for a thought crime in Iowa last week.
That is not a typo.
Iowa the home of the caucuses that essentially gave Donald Trump this cycle’s Republican presidential nomination. Iowa the state that boasts conservative Kim Reynolds as governor?
Yes — That Iowa.
Reagan eventually got around to the point, which involved a Satanic-themed display inside the Iowa State Capitol erected by the trigger-happy folks at the Satanic Temple. He waited until the 21st paragraph of his column to explain what actually happened:
Michael Cassidy didn’t talk.
He acted.
The Des Moines Register reports that on Dec. 14 Michael Cassidy destroyed the satanic altar. Cassidy explained, “My conscience is held captive to the word of God, not to bureaucratic decree. And so I acted.”
Cassidy “was charged the following day with fourth-degree criminal mischief, a misdemeanor.”
Which to us, sounds about right.
Left-adherents in the Polk County prosecutor’s office weren’t done and neither were the satanists.
The “temple” claimed to repair the statue — seemingly constructed of dollar store materials — would cost $3,000.00.
Not surprising, since the father of lies would attract people who have no problem lying.
Now the prosecutor’s office has decided pile on more charges, much like the Jan. 6 political prisoners have had to deal with.
“Polk County prosecutors have accused Cassidy of a more serious offense. A charging document made public Tuesday charges him with felony third-degree criminal mischief and notes that the act was committed “in violation of individual rights” under Iowa’s hate crime statute.”
In other words: Cassidy was charged with destroying someone else’s property, not with a “thought crime.” We thought conservatives like Reagan respected the property rights of others. He then whined that the greater charges were for his expressed hatred:
The mouthpiece for the persecutor’s office explains the overcharge, “Evidence shows the defendant made statements to law enforcement and the public indicating he destroyed the property because of the victim’s religion.”
Actually, he said he destroyed the sacrilege because of his religion, not the blasphemer’s so-called faith.
What’s more, if harboring negative thoughts toward Satan is a hate crime, then all believing Christians are guilty, along with Cassidy.
For we are taught to hate Satan and all his works.
One is permitted to hate other people, of course, but it’s when you act on that hate — by, say, destroying private property — that you get into trouble. That’s exactly what Cassidy did. Reagan then demanded that a stunt take place:
Our suggestion for area ministers would be to organize a Christian confession where hundreds of believers form a line outside the Polk County prosecutor’s office and as soon as it opens on Monday turn themselves in for the crime of hating Satan.
With the ministers first in line.
Show the public and the anticipated jury pool just how absurd and unfair these charges are.
Show it in a way that can’t be missed.
Christians have been asleep for much too long.
It’s time to wake up.
Reagan has a bogus narrative to peddle, so the truth doesn’t matter to him. Seems like the person who needs to wake up is Reagan.