Discrimination: A rant


I feel the need to write this today after hearing and reading about so much discrimination towards Satanists and Pagans. It saddens me knowing that we as Satanists cannot even say that we are Satanists without fear of losing our jobs, losing our children, being attacked, and being accused of acts that we would never even think of committing. Why is it that we should worry that our pentagram might been seen by others, that someone might see us reading a Satanic book, that our altar might be viewed by a visitor in our home? Why? If we were Buddhist, Christian, or Muslim, we would not have to worry about any of these things. A Christian is free to wear their crucifix at work without fear of being fired, Muslims wear their head coverings and Sikhs fought a few battles and won in a court of law for their children to be able to wear their kirpan, (dagger) to school even though many people were against it for safety reasons and Sikhs who are Mounties won the right to wear turbans instead of the traditional red hat. If someone were to comment negatively, they would be proclaimed a racist, yet why is it that Satanists only have to mention their belief in Satan and they are discriminated against and no one says a thing? This must change and as Satanists we have to do what we can so we will be treated just as everyone else have demanded to be treated. For example, in a public school here in Canada, the Muslims were given a room in which they could go and pray as they are required to by their holy book the Koran. Do you think Satanists would be given this opportunity? No way. Do you think Pagans would? Think again. If parents of students in some schools protested to get the book Harry Potter banned from the libraries, do you think they would sit quiet if the school gave a room to Pagans and/or Satanists to perform rituals during the day? Heck no. Now do I believe that schools should allow rooms to be used for prayer, etc? No, not at all as school is a place to learn, to become educated; not for religious work, yet if people want to bow their head to pray to whatever god they worship at their desk, they should be free to, but school should not be a place for people to practice their religion no matter what religion it is. But the whole point of me mentioning this is to show that most religions with the exception of Satanism and Paganism are respected at least to a certain degree and that when they aren’t, their members will fight for their rights. They are protected under the banner of “prejudice” as people squirm when accused of it and the larger the numbers, the bigger the scare.
Now as Satanists, what can we do to change things so that we can have the same rights? Where we can go to work and wear our Symbol of Baphomet openly? Teach a class on Satanism without being shut down? Own a store without it being attacked? Well, it is my belief that we need to wear our Pentagrams openly and the more of us who do this, the harder it will be for people to take away our right to do this. The more we show that we are not a character out of a horror movie, the better it will be for us, but we have to be more open. When someone asks us what our religion is, say that you are a Satanist, say you are a Luciferian, a Devil Worshipper and be proud of that fact. Also, when you see a fellow Satanist being discriminated against, or if you yourself have experienced it, do something about it. Stand up for yourself by writing to the newspaper, complain to the labour board if you are fired from work, etc. The more we do this, the more people will think twice before they discriminate as they don’t like to be in the spotlight when they are the guilty party. It will get better for all of us with some work and in time people will see us as a force to be reckoned with.