We tend to report a lot about Gov. Rick Scott's unpopularity among Florida voters, but let's shift gears for a moment and talk about the people who actually like him: big business, health-insurance companies who want the freedom to gouge you for your premiums, other bald guys on power trips, maligned Satanists. That last group, in fact, is planning to hold a rally in Florida on Jan. 25 to honor Gov. Scott.
Satanic Temple leader Lucien Greaves told ABC News recently that Florida is a "pretty good place" for Satanists, and Scott's recent support for Florida Senate Bill 98, which gives students "sole discretion in determining whether an inspirational message is to be delivered" at school assemblies affirms that sentiment.
Unlike atheists, who most God-fearing Americans simply pity and scorn, Satanists are downright vilified, Greaves says. In reality, he says, they're just people who think that Satan has the same compassion and wisdom as anyone else's god. And now, they say, they look forward to the day when their kids can share that message in Florida public schools.
"Satanists are happy to show their support of Rick Scott who – particularly with SB 98 – has reaffirmed our American freedom to practice our faith openly, allowing our satanic children the freedom to pray in school," the Satanic Temple announced in a press release about their rally, which they plan to hold outside the governor's office.
Oh, Satan. You're a wily one.
UPDATE: The Satanists showed up on Tallahassee, as scheduled, on Jan. 25. Only, were they really Satanists? Probably not. Turns out Lucien Greaves (view his Facebook page here) is making a movie about the nicest Satanic cult in the world and this rally was a publicity stunt. Which makes this story even better. View FloridaNewsService.com's video of the rally below.
One thing that makes this story even stranger is that an organization called S.M.A.R.T., dedicated to ending ritual abuse and child abuse, is insisting that Lucien Greaves is actually somebody named Doug Mesner, a guy who's had a longstanding fued with S.M.A.R.T. because he's openly disagreed with the organization's stance on, among other things, Satanic ritual abuse.
