Associated Press “Satanists plan statue to stand alongside Ten Commandments in Oklahoma” http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/08/satan-ten-commandments-oklahoma-city
米国オクラホマ州は「バイブル･ベルトのバックル」に中るとされている地域であり、勿論州議会も共和党に牛耳られている。基督教保守派は2012年に州議会の敷地内に「十戒」のモニュメントを建立した*1。これに対して、American Civil Liberties Union支部はその「合憲性」に疑義を呈して、モニュメントの「撤去」を求めて訴訟を起こしている。その一方で、「悪魔寺（Satanic Temple）」*2が州議会敷地内でのモニュメント建立計画を明らかにしている；
But the New York-based Satanic Temple saw an opportunity. It notified the state's Capitol Preservation Commission that it wants to donate a monument and plans to submit one of several possible designs this month, said Lucien Greaves, a spokesman for the temple."We believe that all monuments should be in good taste and consistent with community standards," Greaves wrote in letter to state officials. "Our proposed monument, as an homage to the historic/literary Satan, will certainly abide by these guidelines."
Greaves said one potential design involves a pentagram, a satanic symbol, while another is meant to be an interactive display for children. He said he expects the monument, if approved by Oklahoma officials, would cost about $20,000.
The Republican state representative Mike Ritze, who spearheaded the push for the Ten Commandments monument and whose family helped pay the $10,000 for its construction, declined to comment on the Satanic Temple's effort, but Greaves credited Ritze for opening the door to his group's proposal.
"He's helping a satanic agenda grow more than any of us possibly could," Greaves said. "You don't walk around and see too many satanic temples around, but when you open the door to public spaces for us, that's when you're going to see us."
Brady Henderson, the legal director for ACLU Oklahoma*3, said if state officials allow one type of religious expression, they must allow alternative forms of expression, although he said a better solution might be to allow none at all on state property."We would prefer to see Oklahoma's government officials work to faithfully serve our communities and improve the lives of Oklahomans instead of erecting granite monuments to show us all how righteous they are," Henderson said. "But if the Ten Commandments, with its overtly Christian message, is allowed to stay at the Capitol, the Satanic Temple's proposed monument cannot be rejected because of its different religious viewpoint."
