Michael Cassidy, a veteran who beheaded and toppled a satanic statue erected in the Iowa state Capitol, said he did so because someone needed to take a stand.
Last week, Cassidy destroyed the holiday display that was put up in the state Capitol by the Satanic Temple. He has been charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief.
The 35-year-old explained his actions in an interview with Tucker Carlson, a snippet of which was posted to X on Tuesday.
“You know, it’s remarkably simple: Satan is evil and … the opposite of good and the enemy of God,” Cassidy said.
Liberal mobs have torn down countless statues of Christians in this country. But topple a monument to Satan, and CNN will denounce you as dangerous. pic.twitter.com/YboWAQBsXH
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) December 20, 2023
“It just struck me as wrong for something like that to be in that government building,” he added. “I’m American and I love our country and I don’t like statues of Satan in our government buildings.”
He said he knew he was going against the grain of the times.
“Our modern world tells Christians to hide our faith, to be ashamed of the words of Jesus,” he said. “I’ve heard a lot of people — a surprising amount of people, even people that are professing Christians — that will say, ‘You know, we have to give equal time to evil as to good.’ And the simple answer is, ‘No, we don’t.’”
“Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” – John Adams
If not anchored in God, and filled with godly leaders, our government and way of life falls apart. Our Founders knew this.
We have forgotten.
— Michael Cassidy ✝️ 🇺🇸 (@Mike_Cassidy_MS) December 17, 2023
Cassidy, of Lauderdale, Mississippi, said he did not travel to Iowa with the intent to destroy the statue, according to the Des Moines Register.
“I went to the Capitol to see the idol. … When I saw it, I was confronted with how evil it was and felt convicted that I should remove it,” he said.
“I pulled the head off the statue. … I pulled it apart and put it in a garbage bag. Then I went to security and told them what I did.”
To those who think Satanic altars have an equal right to be in Capitols as Nativity scenes:
If a group dedicated to the worship of Osama Bin Laden (even if just a bad joke) was organized as “a religious group”, should it receive equal access to display a shrine to Bin Laden?
— Michael Cassidy ✝️ 🇺🇸 (@Mike_Cassidy_MS) December 20, 2023
“I grew up in a country that was founded on Christian principles and in [an] America that generally promoted good ethics and public displays of virtue,” Cassidy continued. “The evil display and the lack of action surprised and offended me as a Christian.”
Saying that Americans need to “stand up for what is right,” he added, “Satan is evil and glorifying evil is not an American value.”
Cassidy could face a year in prison and a $2,560 fine if convicted, according to the Register.
A fundraiser for his legal defense raised $20,000 in three hours last week. It currently sits at over $78,000 and has received a pledge of support from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
