In the past week, the Trump administration has come under attack for a State Department video narrated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio celebrating America’s Christian heritage, and an atheist group denounced President Trump’s All Saints’ Day message honoring Catholic saints. Meanwhile, a federal judge sided with The Satanic Temple on free speech grounds and ordered Iowa to open its state Capitol to the group’s holiday event. Chief U.S. District Judge Stephanie M. Rose of the Southern District of Iowa ordered the state on Nov. 2 to allow The Satanic Temple to hold a holiday event in the Capitol rotunda on Dec. 12, after state officials denied the group’s applications three years in a row. Rose granted a preliminary injunction against Mark Campbell, director of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services. President Barack Obama nominated Rose in February 2012, and the Senate confirmed her that September. [snip] The state denied applications for the event in 2024, 2025, and 2026. According to the order, then-director Adam Steen cited “the anticipation of costumes with sticks used as weapons on children” when denying the 2024 application. Campbell denied the 2025 and 2026 applications, saying they were the same as the 2024 submission and that he agreed with Steen’s decision. In court, the state argued that the sticks were “traditionally used to beat children” and were “distressing for children.” The order states that Gov. Kim Reynolds’ office was involved in the 2024 denial. On Dec. 9, 2024, an official in the governor’s office asked Steen to bring over the images TST had submitted. The two offices then prepared a joint “Legally Appropriate Statement,” which Steen issued the next day. The draft said the event “specifically targets children” and “is harmful to minors and so it was denied.” [snip] The injunction requires Campbell to approve the application within seven days. He may impose only conditions applied to other indoor Capitol events, such as security, insurance and damage deposits, and may not restrict costumes, the contest or props based on their message. TST’s claims of religious discrimination, unequal treatment and violations of state law remain pending. The group is also seeking damages. [snip] TST general counsel Matt Kezhaya told the AP, “Too often, fear or misunderstanding of the ‘other’ is amplified by petty governmental bureaucrats.” He added, “This was always going to be a family-friendly event.” The dispute dates to December 2023, when the state approved a TST display featuring Baphomet, a goat-headed figure, in the Capitol. In a December 2023 statement, Reynolds called the display objectionable, urged people of faith to pray over the Capitol, and pointed Iowans to the nativity scene as “the true reason for the season.” Days later, Michael Cassidy, a former Mississippi congressional candidate, beheaded the statue. He said he “saw this blasphemous statue and was outraged.” Prosecutors dropped a felony hate-crime charge, and Cassidy pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal mischief and received probation. In the same statement, Reynolds wrote, “In a free society, the best response to objectionable speech is more speech.” (*) Full article: https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/11/obama-appointed-judge-orders-iowa-allow-satanic-temple/ Post navigation ‘We made history’: First Palestinian elected to state legislature celebrates with Palestinian flag, forgets U.S. flag Suspiciously, a Migrant Caravan Left for the U.S. on Election Day
