MY FAVORITE SATANISTS
Thursday, December 14, 2023
The Satanic Temple to launch ‘After School Satan Club’ at Memphis elementary school
Lawrencia Grose
Tue, December 12, 2023
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) — The Satanic Temple plans to host its “After School Satan Club” at Chimneyrock Elementary School in Cordova.
The club will start the program on January 10 in the school’s library and run through the spring semester, according to an announcement posted on Facebook Tuesday morning.
The Satanic Temple claims to be a non-theistic religion that views Satan as a figure who represents “championing the human mind and spirit.” The group says the club does not attempt to convert children to any religious ideology. The clubs began nationwide in 2020.
They said there will be various activities centered around the Seven Fundamental Tenets, including science and community service projects, puzzles and games, nature activities, and arts and crafts.
After School Satan Clubs gain popularity amid legal victories
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It’s the organization’s fifth active club in the nation. Campaign Director June Everett said it started after she was contacted by MSCS parents expressing interest.
“Members of the satanic temple are not theistic satanists, so they don’t believe in an actual real satan,” Everett said.
She explained that the club can only operate in schools that have other religious clubs, so like-minded people can come together. She said they don’t actually discuss Satanic teachings, but they do activities that are inspired by Satanic beliefs.
“We can take Satan and view Satan as this creature and this character however we want. We don’t have to believe Satan as this evil deity. We can view Satan as we wish and that’s exactly what we do,” Everett said.
But parents like Dennis said they still aren’t comfortable.
“I feel that if possible, maybe a community center or something like that would be more fit. I don’t feel it should be in the scene where they learn. If they don’t want prayer in the schools, they shouldn’t have this satan club,” she said.
WREG reached out to Memphis-Shelby County Schools for a statement regarding the group’s attendance at Chimneyrock Elementary.
A district spokesperson said MSCS facilities are rented out to several organizations.
For instance, the Good News Club meets at Chimneyrock Elementary weekly, the spokesperson said. That group’s website describes the program as “a clear presentation of the Gospel and an opportunity for children to trust Jesus as savior.”
The following message was sent to parents by MSCS:
“We understand that some of you have questions regarding the recent approval of a facility rental to The Satanic Temple, a federally recognized non-profit organization.
As a public school district, we’re committed to upholding the principles of the First Amendment, which guarantees equal access to all non-profit organizations seeking to use our facilities after school hours. This means we cannot approve or deny an organization’s request based solely on its viewpoints or beliefs.
Board Policy 7002 outlines this commitment, allowing community groups and government entities to rent school property outside of school hours. These gatherings are not school-sponsored and are not endorsed or promoted by Memphis-Shelby County Schools.
The Satanic Temple, recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) public charity, falls under this policy and has the same legal rights to use our facilities after school hours as any other non-profit organization. It will be renting the facility in January, after school. You may read more about the organization in an online news story from the Washington Post.
We understand that this topic may raise questions. Thank you for your understanding and continued partnership.“
Some parents we spoke with discussed the possibility of removing their children from the district because of this.
Meanwhile, as the school mentioned, the club is protected under First Amendment rights, so they must allow it to move forward.
Lawrencia Grose
Tue, December 12, 2023
.jpg)
The club will start the program on January 10 in the school’s library and run through the spring semester, according to an announcement posted on Facebook Tuesday morning.
The Satanic Temple claims to be a non-theistic religion that views Satan as a figure who represents “championing the human mind and spirit.” The group says the club does not attempt to convert children to any religious ideology. The clubs began nationwide in 2020.
They said there will be various activities centered around the Seven Fundamental Tenets, including science and community service projects, puzzles and games, nature activities, and arts and crafts.
After School Satan Clubs gain popularity amid legal victories
The news spread around local social media Tuesday, with some parents expressing concern.
” … can’t talk about god in school or pray but can have a satan in the school the worlds coming to an end y’all better get ready,” wrote Facebook user Barryand Ashley Busby.
Others were more supportive.
“I say this as an open-minded Christian, if they can have Bible Studies at the school, then they should be able to do this as well,” wrote Bee Givens.
Will the Memphis area get snow this year? Not likely, NWS says
Parents of students at Chimneyrock Elementary were alarmed and concerned after the flyer announcing the new after school club began making the rounds.
“If we don’t want God in schools, we definitely don’t need or want Satan in schools,” said Felicia Dennis. “Me and my whole family, we attend church. So this was a big shocker for me for this to be coming to my daughter’s school.”
” … can’t talk about god in school or pray but can have a satan in the school the worlds coming to an end y’all better get ready,” wrote Facebook user Barryand Ashley Busby.
Others were more supportive.
“I say this as an open-minded Christian, if they can have Bible Studies at the school, then they should be able to do this as well,” wrote Bee Givens.
Will the Memphis area get snow this year? Not likely, NWS says
Parents of students at Chimneyrock Elementary were alarmed and concerned after the flyer announcing the new after school club began making the rounds.
“If we don’t want God in schools, we definitely don’t need or want Satan in schools,” said Felicia Dennis. “Me and my whole family, we attend church. So this was a big shocker for me for this to be coming to my daughter’s school.”
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It’s the organization’s fifth active club in the nation. Campaign Director June Everett said it started after she was contacted by MSCS parents expressing interest.
“Members of the satanic temple are not theistic satanists, so they don’t believe in an actual real satan,” Everett said.
She explained that the club can only operate in schools that have other religious clubs, so like-minded people can come together. She said they don’t actually discuss Satanic teachings, but they do activities that are inspired by Satanic beliefs.
“We can take Satan and view Satan as this creature and this character however we want. We don’t have to believe Satan as this evil deity. We can view Satan as we wish and that’s exactly what we do,” Everett said.
But parents like Dennis said they still aren’t comfortable.
“I feel that if possible, maybe a community center or something like that would be more fit. I don’t feel it should be in the scene where they learn. If they don’t want prayer in the schools, they shouldn’t have this satan club,” she said.
WREG reached out to Memphis-Shelby County Schools for a statement regarding the group’s attendance at Chimneyrock Elementary.
A district spokesperson said MSCS facilities are rented out to several organizations.
For instance, the Good News Club meets at Chimneyrock Elementary weekly, the spokesperson said. That group’s website describes the program as “a clear presentation of the Gospel and an opportunity for children to trust Jesus as savior.”
The following message was sent to parents by MSCS:
“We understand that some of you have questions regarding the recent approval of a facility rental to The Satanic Temple, a federally recognized non-profit organization.
As a public school district, we’re committed to upholding the principles of the First Amendment, which guarantees equal access to all non-profit organizations seeking to use our facilities after school hours. This means we cannot approve or deny an organization’s request based solely on its viewpoints or beliefs.
Board Policy 7002 outlines this commitment, allowing community groups and government entities to rent school property outside of school hours. These gatherings are not school-sponsored and are not endorsed or promoted by Memphis-Shelby County Schools.
The Satanic Temple, recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) public charity, falls under this policy and has the same legal rights to use our facilities after school hours as any other non-profit organization. It will be renting the facility in January, after school. You may read more about the organization in an online news story from the Washington Post.
We understand that this topic may raise questions. Thank you for your understanding and continued partnership.“
Some parents we spoke with discussed the possibility of removing their children from the district because of this.
Meanwhile, as the school mentioned, the club is protected under First Amendment rights, so they must allow it to move forward.
Kim Reynolds calls Iowa Capitol satanic display 'objectionable,' encourages Iowans to pray
Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register
Updated Wed, December 13, 2023
Satanic Temple of Iowa display at the Iowa State Capitol.
Gov. Kim Reynolds is encouraging Iowans to pray over the Capitol building in response to a satanic display set up in the rotunda, which she called "absolutely objectionable."
"Like many Iowans, I find the Satanic Temple’s display in the Capitol absolutely objectionable," Reynolds, a Republican, said in a statement Tuesday. "In a free society, the best response to objectionable speech is more speech, and I encourage all those of faith to join me today in praying over the Capitol and recognizing the Nativity scene that will be on display ― the true reason for the season."
The Satanic Temple of Iowa received permission to erect an altar on the first floor of the Capitol building, alongside other more traditional Nativity displays that groups can apply to set up in the building each year.
More: Iowa lawmaker calls for Gov. Kim Reynolds to remove satanic display from Capitol
The satanic display includes what are described online as the "seven fundamental tenets" of Satanism, including the statement that "the freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend."
Completing the display are the temple's seal, electric candles and a caped figure representing the pagan idol Baphomet, holding a ribbon-bedecked pentangle and topped with a gilded ram's head.
The display has sparked outrage from Republican lawmakers. State Rep. Brad Sherman, R-Williamsburg, called it unconstitutional and called for it to be taken down.
Satanic Temple of Iowa display at the Iowa State Capitol.
Others, like Rep. Jon Dunwell, R-Newton, said the display is objectionable but said "I don't want the state evaluating and making determinations about religions. I am guided by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution."
Reynolds' statement calls on Iowans to recognize the Christian Nativity scene that has been put on display at the Capitol, calling it "the true reason for the season."
On Tuesday afternoon, Reynolds shared images on social media of herself and other Iowans praying in the Capitol rotunda near the Nativity scene.
"Today, faithful Iowans gathered in the Capitol rotunda to display the Nativity and pray for peace," she wrote on social media. "Free speech is a right afforded to all. But how we use it matters. Today’s event is proof that in the battle between good and evil, good will always prevail."
Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Kim Reynolds criticizes satanic altar at Iowa Capitol, asks for prayer
'Disgusting' Satanic Temple display at state capitol in Iowa sparks free speech battle
Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez and Noelle Alviz-Gransee,
The controversy began bubbling last week after a group that calls itself the Satanic Temple of Iowa placed with state permission a small altar on the first floor of the Iowa State Capitol. It displays what are described online as the "seven fundamental tenets" of Satanism, including the statement that "the freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend."
Completing the display are the temple's seal, electric candles and a caped figure representing the pagan idol Baphomet, holding a ribbon-bedecked pentangle and topped with a gilded ram's head.
Outrage and demands for removal came swiftly.
Iowa state Rep. Brad Sherman said in the Dec. 8 edition of his Sherman Liberty Letter that the "disgusting display" should be removed immediately and called "for clarifying legislation to be adopted in accordance with our State Constitution that prohibits satanic displays in our Capitol building and on all state owned property."
He further proposed additional legislation to clear the way for displaying the Ten Commandments in all state buildings, including the Capitol, and in Iowa public schools.
The Satanic Temple of Iowa display at the Iowa Capitol.
Sherman says the exhibit has drawn widespread "outrage and disgust" among Iowans, "but few people think there is much that can be legally done about it because of free speech and freedom of religion."
"However," he adds, "I disagree."
Satanic Temple founder: Ignore display if it offends you
Lucien Greaves, spokesman and co-founder of the Satanic Temple, said it is always important for the group to seek equal representation in public forums that are open for religious displays.
"People assume that we're there to insult Christians and we're not," Greaves said. "And I would hope that even people who disagree with the symbolism behind our values, whether they know what those values (are) or not, would at least appreciate that it's certainly a greater evil to allow the government to pick and choose between forms of religious expression."
Greaves said individuals are not being forced to interact with the display and don't have to engage with it.
The Satanic Temple of Iowa display at the Iowa Capitol.
Satanic display 'objectionable' but not illegal, some say
But Sherman, a pastor, may not have wholehearted support from other Republican legislators in Iowa, some of whom say they would oppose the government limiting freedom of speech in reaction to the display, which will be in place for a total of two weeks.
State Rep. Jon Dunwell, R-Newton, on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter, and on Facebook has tried to explain why the display was allowed. He's experienced considerable blowback in response, though he says that as an ordained minister and "as a follower of Christ, I certainly find a display from the Satanic Temple objectionable."
He says those who put up the display followed all the rules required to do so, adding that "the current operating principle has been to either allow all displays or none."
The Legislature can try to change those rules, he says, but "my observation as an Iowan and a State Representative, I don’t want the state evaluating and making determinations about religions. I am guided by the First Amendment of the US Constitution."
"The display is an inanimate object that has no real power in and of itself. We have nothing to fear," he says, adding that "the primary response required is prayer."
'I think this is a test' of allegiance to free speech
State Rep. Brad Sherman, R-Williamsburg, speaks with state Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, on the House floor at the Iowa Capitol.
Dunwell calls for reviewing the guidelines for displays "to ensure they represent our constitutional rights"; monitoring the number of organizations that request displays to prevent the Capitol from being "overwhelmed" by them; and continuing "to dialogue with other elected officials and Iowans on this issue."
Dunwell, in a posting Sunday, pushed back at responses condemning his position.
"I would rather have an evil blasphemous display or no display at all than have the state dictate what they think is appropriate," he says, adding he has been "SHOCKED so many want to give up their freedom, so they don’t have to see a display they disagree with."
Rep. Steve Holt, a Republican from Crawford County, said that while he agrees with Sherman on a philosophical level, he believes Iowans have the right to disagree about religion. In an interview, he said decisions about civil liberties can't just be based on the state constitution alone.
"We also have the federal constitution, we have the Bill of Rights, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, (which) are just foundational values of our country… So while I totally hold a total disdain anything that this organization stands for, I nonetheless believe they have the constitutionally protected right to put up the display," he said.
Holt said that in the time he has been in office, many atheist displays as well as Nativity scenes have been erected in the Capitol. Nativities periodically have been displayed in the Capitol at least since 2016, when the Freedom from Religion Foundation responded with a "Nativity" for the Bill of Rights.
"I think this is a test," Holt said of the current satanic display. "I think this is really a test of just how, how strong your allegiance is to the Constitution and the concepts of free speech and free religion. It's easy to say you believe in those things when the speech is not that objectionable to you. But when the speech is really, really highly objectionable and offensive, unless it otherwise breaks the law, are you going to stand up for the constitutional rights of others or are you not?"
Staff writer Katie Akin contributed to this article.
Noelle Alviz-Gransee is a breaking news reporter at the Des Moines Register, part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her on X @NoelleHannika or email her at NAlvizGransee@registermedia.com. Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter. Reach her atvreynarodriguez@registermedia.com or on X @VictoriaReynaR.
More: Parents in a Connecticut town worry as 'After School Satan Club' plans meeting
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa Satanic Temple display at state capitol sparks free speech debate
The Des Moines Register
Opinion
Letters: Satanic display at Iowa Capitol is inappropriate
The Register's readers
Wed, December 13, 2023
Satanic display at Capitol is inappropriate
The Constitution says that Americans have the right to freedom of religion or no religion at all. It does not suggest or say that any religion must associate itself with or worship any divine being. Satanic worship has been practiced for a very long time.
The governor of Iowa has allowed satanic displays in the Iowa Capitol. At a time when many Americans are celebrating the birth of Christ, it seems a bit odd that the display of satanic figures is allowed at the same time. The month of October might be more appropriate for the display. I personally feel that it is not appropriate at any time.
Galen Bral, Manilla
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Letters: Satanic display at Capitol is inappropriate
Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register
Updated Wed, December 13, 2023
Satanic Temple of Iowa display at the Iowa State Capitol.
Gov. Kim Reynolds is encouraging Iowans to pray over the Capitol building in response to a satanic display set up in the rotunda, which she called "absolutely objectionable."
"Like many Iowans, I find the Satanic Temple’s display in the Capitol absolutely objectionable," Reynolds, a Republican, said in a statement Tuesday. "In a free society, the best response to objectionable speech is more speech, and I encourage all those of faith to join me today in praying over the Capitol and recognizing the Nativity scene that will be on display ― the true reason for the season."
The Satanic Temple of Iowa received permission to erect an altar on the first floor of the Capitol building, alongside other more traditional Nativity displays that groups can apply to set up in the building each year.
More: Iowa lawmaker calls for Gov. Kim Reynolds to remove satanic display from Capitol
The satanic display includes what are described online as the "seven fundamental tenets" of Satanism, including the statement that "the freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend."
Completing the display are the temple's seal, electric candles and a caped figure representing the pagan idol Baphomet, holding a ribbon-bedecked pentangle and topped with a gilded ram's head.
The display has sparked outrage from Republican lawmakers. State Rep. Brad Sherman, R-Williamsburg, called it unconstitutional and called for it to be taken down.
Satanic Temple of Iowa display at the Iowa State Capitol.
Others, like Rep. Jon Dunwell, R-Newton, said the display is objectionable but said "I don't want the state evaluating and making determinations about religions. I am guided by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution."
Reynolds' statement calls on Iowans to recognize the Christian Nativity scene that has been put on display at the Capitol, calling it "the true reason for the season."
On Tuesday afternoon, Reynolds shared images on social media of herself and other Iowans praying in the Capitol rotunda near the Nativity scene.
"Today, faithful Iowans gathered in the Capitol rotunda to display the Nativity and pray for peace," she wrote on social media. "Free speech is a right afforded to all. But how we use it matters. Today’s event is proof that in the battle between good and evil, good will always prevail."
Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Kim Reynolds criticizes satanic altar at Iowa Capitol, asks for prayer
'Disgusting' Satanic Temple display at state capitol in Iowa sparks free speech battle
Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez and Noelle Alviz-Gransee,
USA TODAY NETWORK
Updated Tue, December 12, 2023
Updated Tue, December 12, 2023
The controversy began bubbling last week after a group that calls itself the Satanic Temple of Iowa placed with state permission a small altar on the first floor of the Iowa State Capitol. It displays what are described online as the "seven fundamental tenets" of Satanism, including the statement that "the freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend."
Completing the display are the temple's seal, electric candles and a caped figure representing the pagan idol Baphomet, holding a ribbon-bedecked pentangle and topped with a gilded ram's head.
Outrage and demands for removal came swiftly.
Iowa state Rep. Brad Sherman said in the Dec. 8 edition of his Sherman Liberty Letter that the "disgusting display" should be removed immediately and called "for clarifying legislation to be adopted in accordance with our State Constitution that prohibits satanic displays in our Capitol building and on all state owned property."
He further proposed additional legislation to clear the way for displaying the Ten Commandments in all state buildings, including the Capitol, and in Iowa public schools.
The Satanic Temple of Iowa display at the Iowa Capitol.
Sherman says the exhibit has drawn widespread "outrage and disgust" among Iowans, "but few people think there is much that can be legally done about it because of free speech and freedom of religion."
"However," he adds, "I disagree."
Satanic Temple founder: Ignore display if it offends you
Lucien Greaves, spokesman and co-founder of the Satanic Temple, said it is always important for the group to seek equal representation in public forums that are open for religious displays.
"People assume that we're there to insult Christians and we're not," Greaves said. "And I would hope that even people who disagree with the symbolism behind our values, whether they know what those values (are) or not, would at least appreciate that it's certainly a greater evil to allow the government to pick and choose between forms of religious expression."
Greaves said individuals are not being forced to interact with the display and don't have to engage with it.
The Satanic Temple of Iowa display at the Iowa Capitol.
Sherman: Iowa Constitution endorses God, and Satan is his enemy
Sherman points to the preamble to the Iowa Constitution, which says, "WE THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF IOWA, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of those blessings, do ordain and establish a free and independent government, by the name of the State of Iowa... ."
"According to these opening lines of our Constitution, the foundation for laws and continued blessing and success in Iowa is based on these points: 1. There is One Supreme God. 2. Blessings over this state come from the One Supreme God. 3. We must depend upon the One Supreme God if we want to enjoy continued blessings," Sherman writes.
He says it is "a tortured and twisted interpretation of law that affords Satan, who is universally understood to be the enemy of God, religious expression equal to God in an institution of government that depends upon God for continued blessings."
Sherman was joined in his opposition by some Iowans who have viewed the display.
"I'm here today because this is so anti-Christian, so anti-Iowa," Evelyn Nikkel, a Christian praying in the Capitol rotunda, said.
Nikkel said when a Nativity scene is installed in the Capitol this week, Iowans will be able to see the "real reason for the season."
Sherman points to the preamble to the Iowa Constitution, which says, "WE THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF IOWA, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of those blessings, do ordain and establish a free and independent government, by the name of the State of Iowa... ."
"According to these opening lines of our Constitution, the foundation for laws and continued blessing and success in Iowa is based on these points: 1. There is One Supreme God. 2. Blessings over this state come from the One Supreme God. 3. We must depend upon the One Supreme God if we want to enjoy continued blessings," Sherman writes.
He says it is "a tortured and twisted interpretation of law that affords Satan, who is universally understood to be the enemy of God, religious expression equal to God in an institution of government that depends upon God for continued blessings."
Sherman was joined in his opposition by some Iowans who have viewed the display.
"I'm here today because this is so anti-Christian, so anti-Iowa," Evelyn Nikkel, a Christian praying in the Capitol rotunda, said.
Nikkel said when a Nativity scene is installed in the Capitol this week, Iowans will be able to see the "real reason for the season."
Satanic display 'objectionable' but not illegal, some say
But Sherman, a pastor, may not have wholehearted support from other Republican legislators in Iowa, some of whom say they would oppose the government limiting freedom of speech in reaction to the display, which will be in place for a total of two weeks.
State Rep. Jon Dunwell, R-Newton, on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter, and on Facebook has tried to explain why the display was allowed. He's experienced considerable blowback in response, though he says that as an ordained minister and "as a follower of Christ, I certainly find a display from the Satanic Temple objectionable."
He says those who put up the display followed all the rules required to do so, adding that "the current operating principle has been to either allow all displays or none."
The Legislature can try to change those rules, he says, but "my observation as an Iowan and a State Representative, I don’t want the state evaluating and making determinations about religions. I am guided by the First Amendment of the US Constitution."
"The display is an inanimate object that has no real power in and of itself. We have nothing to fear," he says, adding that "the primary response required is prayer."
'I think this is a test' of allegiance to free speech
State Rep. Brad Sherman, R-Williamsburg, speaks with state Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, on the House floor at the Iowa Capitol.
Dunwell calls for reviewing the guidelines for displays "to ensure they represent our constitutional rights"; monitoring the number of organizations that request displays to prevent the Capitol from being "overwhelmed" by them; and continuing "to dialogue with other elected officials and Iowans on this issue."
Dunwell, in a posting Sunday, pushed back at responses condemning his position.
"I would rather have an evil blasphemous display or no display at all than have the state dictate what they think is appropriate," he says, adding he has been "SHOCKED so many want to give up their freedom, so they don’t have to see a display they disagree with."
Rep. Steve Holt, a Republican from Crawford County, said that while he agrees with Sherman on a philosophical level, he believes Iowans have the right to disagree about religion. In an interview, he said decisions about civil liberties can't just be based on the state constitution alone.
"We also have the federal constitution, we have the Bill of Rights, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, (which) are just foundational values of our country… So while I totally hold a total disdain anything that this organization stands for, I nonetheless believe they have the constitutionally protected right to put up the display," he said.
Holt said that in the time he has been in office, many atheist displays as well as Nativity scenes have been erected in the Capitol. Nativities periodically have been displayed in the Capitol at least since 2016, when the Freedom from Religion Foundation responded with a "Nativity" for the Bill of Rights.
"I think this is a test," Holt said of the current satanic display. "I think this is really a test of just how, how strong your allegiance is to the Constitution and the concepts of free speech and free religion. It's easy to say you believe in those things when the speech is not that objectionable to you. But when the speech is really, really highly objectionable and offensive, unless it otherwise breaks the law, are you going to stand up for the constitutional rights of others or are you not?"
Staff writer Katie Akin contributed to this article.
Noelle Alviz-Gransee is a breaking news reporter at the Des Moines Register, part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her on X @NoelleHannika or email her at NAlvizGransee@registermedia.com. Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter. Reach her atvreynarodriguez@registermedia.com or on X @VictoriaReynaR.
More: Parents in a Connecticut town worry as 'After School Satan Club' plans meeting
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa Satanic Temple display at state capitol sparks free speech debate
The Des Moines Register
Opinion
Letters: Satanic display at Iowa Capitol is inappropriate
The Register's readers
Wed, December 13, 2023
Don’t let Iowa Republicans off the hook for relentlessly violating people’s rights
Recently there has been an uproar over a Satanic Temple display at the state Capitol by many Christians, up to and including responses from elected officials. Much of the discourse over the display has been around First Amendment rights to freedom of expression and religion, something that has brought about praise for a particular legislator when it comes to respecting those rights.
However, it should not be lost on the electorate how low the bar has come that an elected official, Rep. Jon Dunwell, is getting praise for respecting the First Amendment. Especially when all of the attacks on the civil and human rights of Iowans come from faith-based representatives, organizations, and arguments. It should also be noted that all the nasty attacks on this representative cited by the Register opinion editor were coming from those in his party that thought he should respect the First Amendment LESS, not more.
This same representative had no problem using his religious beliefs to attack the rights of women to access healthcare or vote to remove books from public schools, actions that have real consequences for Iowans, much more so than a display in the capitol rotunda. The separation of church and state and First Amendment protections are extremely important and shouldn’t just be bandied about when it looks good on Twitter. This is a very real and serious threat to our democracy.
Jason Benell, Des Moines, president of Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers
Recently there has been an uproar over a Satanic Temple display at the state Capitol by many Christians, up to and including responses from elected officials. Much of the discourse over the display has been around First Amendment rights to freedom of expression and religion, something that has brought about praise for a particular legislator when it comes to respecting those rights.
However, it should not be lost on the electorate how low the bar has come that an elected official, Rep. Jon Dunwell, is getting praise for respecting the First Amendment. Especially when all of the attacks on the civil and human rights of Iowans come from faith-based representatives, organizations, and arguments. It should also be noted that all the nasty attacks on this representative cited by the Register opinion editor were coming from those in his party that thought he should respect the First Amendment LESS, not more.
This same representative had no problem using his religious beliefs to attack the rights of women to access healthcare or vote to remove books from public schools, actions that have real consequences for Iowans, much more so than a display in the capitol rotunda. The separation of church and state and First Amendment protections are extremely important and shouldn’t just be bandied about when it looks good on Twitter. This is a very real and serious threat to our democracy.
Jason Benell, Des Moines, president of Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers
Satanic display at Capitol is inappropriate
The Constitution says that Americans have the right to freedom of religion or no religion at all. It does not suggest or say that any religion must associate itself with or worship any divine being. Satanic worship has been practiced for a very long time.
The governor of Iowa has allowed satanic displays in the Iowa Capitol. At a time when many Americans are celebrating the birth of Christ, it seems a bit odd that the display of satanic figures is allowed at the same time. The month of October might be more appropriate for the display. I personally feel that it is not appropriate at any time.
Galen Bral, Manilla
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Letters: Satanic display at Capitol is inappropriate
Satanic Temple Altar At The Iowa State Capitol Has Republicans Seething
Kelby Vera
Wed, December 13, 2023
Controversy has arisen in Iowa after the Satanic Temple was allowed to put up a display at the state Capitol building in Des Moines.
Outcry emerged after the un-Christian-like altar was erected on the first floor of the Iowa State Capitol earlier this month, prompting the public and lawmakers to call for its removal. Others have maintained keeping the shrine up is a matter of free speech and freedom of religion, however.
The display ― which will be up through the end of this week ― includes an altar with the “seven fundamental tenets” of the Satanic Temple and the group’s seal, surrounded by electric candles.
Behind the altarpiece stands an effigy of the goat-headed idol Baphomet, a pagan deity who is invoked in various occult practices and throughout pop culture.
A mirrored sculpture of a ram’s skull sits on top of the figure, which is cloaked in red velvet, holding a black and red ribbon wreath with a pentacle in the center.
Iowa state Rep. Brad Sherman (R) objected to the “disgusting display” in a letter last week, where he argued that the altar violates Iowa’s state constitution.
A Baphomet statue erected by the Satanic Temple in Salem, Massachusetts, in 2019. The group stirred up controversy for an altar it set up at the Iowa State Capitol last week.
A Baphomet statue erected by the Satanic Temple in Salem, Massachusetts, in 2019. The group stirred up controversy for an altar it set up at the Iowa State Capitol last week.
Fellow Republican Jon Dunwell reluctantly defended the satanic setup in a detailed post on X, however.
Dunwell, an ordained minister, said that while the altar offended him “as a follower of Christ,” access to the state Capitol displays are done through an open application which does not discriminate on “the basis of religion or ideology.”
Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) called the altar “objectionable” in a Tuesday press release, but said, “In a free society, the best response to objectionable speech is more speech.” She went on to invite people of all faiths to join her in prayer at the Capitol that day.
Lucien Greaves, spokesman and co-founder of the Satanic Temple, told the Des Moines Register the piece was not intended to offend Christians, but was created to give other religions more representation in public forums.
“People assume that we’re there to insult Christians and we’re not,” Greaves said, arguing, “It’s certainly a greater evil to allow the government to pick and choose between forms of religious expression.”
After the satanic shrine made national news, Republican presidential primary candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis offered his take during a Tuesday night town hall held by CNN ahead of next month’s Iowa caucus.
He blamed President Donald Trump for giving the Satanic Temple religious tax-exempt status in 2019, saying, “It very well may be because of that ruling under Donald Trump that they may have had a legal leg to stand on. My view would be that’s not a religion that the Founding Fathers were trying to create.”
This isn’t the first time The Satanic Temple has tested the limits of religious freedom on government property.
In 2013, they attempted to get an eight-foot-tall Baphomet sculpture installed at the Oklahoma state Capitol in response to a monument of the Ten Commandments on its grounds. The biblical monument was later removed.
The group revived the stunt five years later when they took the statue to Little Rock to protest a set of commandments being placed on the grounds of the Arkansas state Capitol.
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DeSantis lays blame on Trump administration for Satanic Temple display in Iowa Capitol
Biong M. Biong, Des Moines Register
Wed, December 13, 2023
Seeking to turn a Satanic Temple of Iowa display in the Iowa Capitol into a presidential campaign issue, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is laying the blame at the feet of former President Donald Trump’s administration.
The temple received permission for the display, including an altar and a figure of the pagan idol Baphomet, under a state policy that allows temporary religious displays in the Capitol. There also is currently a Christian nativity scene.
Iowa Republican leaders are divided over the display, which one said was permitted under a policy that calls for allowing all religious displays or none of them. Gov. Kim Reynolds, who has endorsed DeSantis in the first-in-the-nation Iowa Republican caucuses, said Tuesday that "in a free society, the best response to objectionable speech is more speech, and I encourage all those of faith to join me today in praying over the Capitol and recognizing the Nativity scene that will be on display ― the true reason for the season."
But DeSantis, appearing on a CNN town hall Tuesday night, sided with those who say the satanic display isn't a genuine religious expression and should be removed. He added that it would not be allowed in the Florida Capitol ― although one was permitted in 2014 during the administration of DeSantis' predecessor Rick Scott, a Republican who is now one of the state's U.S. senators.
DeSantis said he believed it was a wrong-headed Trump administration decision that gave the Satanic Temple, a nationwide network headquartered in Salem, Massachusetts, standing as a religious organization.
“The Trump administration gave them approval to be under the IRS as a religion, so that gave them the legal ability to potentially do it,” he said.
DeSantis said he was surprised by the 2019 U.S. Internal Revenue Service ruling, which the Satanic Temple told the Associated Press it believed would help it in religious discrimination legal cases and allow it to pursue faith-based government grants.
“[The government] recognized it as a religion, otherwise you wouldn't have been able to do it; I don’t think that was the right decision,” DeSantis said.
“I don’t know what the Legislature … [or] how they analyzed it, but it very well may be because of that ruling under Donald Trump, that they may have had a legal leg to stand on,” he added. “My view would be that that’s not a religion that the founding fathers were trying to create.”
Trump campaign: DeSantis 'doesn't even own his own Bible'
There was no indication in the Associated Press story or other coverage of the ruling that Trump was involved in the decision. The IRS is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury. Steven Mnuchin was Trump's treasury secretary and Charles Rettig was the IRS commissioner.
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung in an emailed statement to the Des Moines Register fired back at DeSantis, mocking his name and his stances on religion and noting DeSantis' failure so far to gain traction against Trump in the campaign.
More: DeSantis says Iowa Caucus polling is 'never accurate.' We checked. Here's what we found:
“Ron DeSanctus has a lot of opinions on religion for a man who doesn’t even own his own Bible," Cheung wrote. "This is a sad attempt by a dying candidate in the last throes of his failed campaign, so he’s resorting to blatant lies and outright falsehoods that will finally put an end to his disastrous run.”
Staff writer Brianne Pfannenstiel contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: DeSantis blames Trump for Satanic Temple display in Iowa Capitol
Biong M. Biong, Des Moines Register
Wed, December 13, 2023
Seeking to turn a Satanic Temple of Iowa display in the Iowa Capitol into a presidential campaign issue, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is laying the blame at the feet of former President Donald Trump’s administration.
The temple received permission for the display, including an altar and a figure of the pagan idol Baphomet, under a state policy that allows temporary religious displays in the Capitol. There also is currently a Christian nativity scene.
Iowa Republican leaders are divided over the display, which one said was permitted under a policy that calls for allowing all religious displays or none of them. Gov. Kim Reynolds, who has endorsed DeSantis in the first-in-the-nation Iowa Republican caucuses, said Tuesday that "in a free society, the best response to objectionable speech is more speech, and I encourage all those of faith to join me today in praying over the Capitol and recognizing the Nativity scene that will be on display ― the true reason for the season."
But DeSantis, appearing on a CNN town hall Tuesday night, sided with those who say the satanic display isn't a genuine religious expression and should be removed. He added that it would not be allowed in the Florida Capitol ― although one was permitted in 2014 during the administration of DeSantis' predecessor Rick Scott, a Republican who is now one of the state's U.S. senators.
DeSantis said he believed it was a wrong-headed Trump administration decision that gave the Satanic Temple, a nationwide network headquartered in Salem, Massachusetts, standing as a religious organization.
“The Trump administration gave them approval to be under the IRS as a religion, so that gave them the legal ability to potentially do it,” he said.
DeSantis said he was surprised by the 2019 U.S. Internal Revenue Service ruling, which the Satanic Temple told the Associated Press it believed would help it in religious discrimination legal cases and allow it to pursue faith-based government grants.
“[The government] recognized it as a religion, otherwise you wouldn't have been able to do it; I don’t think that was the right decision,” DeSantis said.
“I don’t know what the Legislature … [or] how they analyzed it, but it very well may be because of that ruling under Donald Trump, that they may have had a legal leg to stand on,” he added. “My view would be that that’s not a religion that the founding fathers were trying to create.”
Trump campaign: DeSantis 'doesn't even own his own Bible'
There was no indication in the Associated Press story or other coverage of the ruling that Trump was involved in the decision. The IRS is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury. Steven Mnuchin was Trump's treasury secretary and Charles Rettig was the IRS commissioner.
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung in an emailed statement to the Des Moines Register fired back at DeSantis, mocking his name and his stances on religion and noting DeSantis' failure so far to gain traction against Trump in the campaign.
More: DeSantis says Iowa Caucus polling is 'never accurate.' We checked. Here's what we found:
“Ron DeSanctus has a lot of opinions on religion for a man who doesn’t even own his own Bible," Cheung wrote. "This is a sad attempt by a dying candidate in the last throes of his failed campaign, so he’s resorting to blatant lies and outright falsehoods that will finally put an end to his disastrous run.”
Staff writer Brianne Pfannenstiel contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: DeSantis blames Trump for Satanic Temple display in Iowa Capitol
Andrew Miller
Tue, December 12, 2023
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis invoked the name of former President Donald Trump when asked in a CNN town hall on Tuesday about a controversial satanic display in the Iowa state capitol building.
"So it's interesting," DeSantis told CNN's Jake Tapper. "I heard this and then I was like, well, how did it get there? Is that even a religion? And lo and behold, the Trump administration gave them approval to be under the IRS as a religion. So that gave them the legal ability to potentially do it."
DeSantis continued, "So I don't know what the legislature, how they analyzed it, but it very well may be because of that ruling under Donald Trump that they may have had a legal leg to stand on. My view would be that that's not a religion that the founding fathers were trying to create. But I do think that IRS ruling, I was really surprised to see that they did that."
THE SATANIC TEMPLE DEDICATING 'LARGEST SATANIC GATHERING IN HISTORY' TO BOSTON MAYOR, WILL REQUIRE MASKS
DeSantis was referring to a situation that developed this week where The Satanic Temple of Iowa erected a public display depicting "Baphomet," made of a ram's head of with mirrors covering it, propped by a mannequin in red clothing.
Co-founder of The Satanic Temple, Lucien Greaves, told the news outlet that the display represents the group's right to religious freedom.
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The display sparked intense controversy and condemnation from conservatives in Iowa from those who felt the state legislature or the state's Republican governor should have stopped it from being put up.
SATANISTS CONDEMN LEADER, DEMAND HE REAFFIRM TRANS RIGHTS AFTER TAKING PHOTO WITH ANTI-WOKE ATHEIST
The Baphomet statue is seen in the conversion room at the Satanic Temple where a "Hell House" is being held in Salem, Massachusetts on October 8, 2019.
The Iowa Department of Administrative Services said the satanic group met all the requirements legally needed to erect the display, KWWL-TV reported.
"Like many Iowans, I find the Satanic Temple’s display in the Capitol absolutely objectionable," Gov. Kim Reynolds, who endorsed DeSantis, said in a statement.
"In a free society, the best response to objectionable speech is more speech, and I encourage all those of faith to join me today in praying over the Capitol and recognizing the nativity scene that will be on display – the true reason for the season," Reynolds added.
Lawmakers who oppose the display have acknowledged that it is protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
During the Trump presidency, the IRS in 2019 granted the "non-theistic" Salem-Mass.-based Satanic organization tax exempt status.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is interviewed by Fox News Digital at the Iowa State Fair, on August 11, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa
"That doesn't necessarily mean the government supports it, but they did grant it," Tapper told DeSantis Tuesday.
"Yeah, exactly," DeSantis responded. "But they recognized it as a religion, otherwise you wouldn't be able to do it. I don't think that was the right decision… that's wrong."
When asked if the display should be taken down, DeSantis said, "Yeah, I mean look, I think if they're going to get sued on it, I think you fight that fight."
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said, "This is what desperate politicians do when they know their political lives are flashing before their eyes, they fabricate and completely make up ridiculous stories on CNN so they can appease their liberal audience. This is the moment scholars will point to of when the death of DeSantis's career occurred."
Fox News Digital's Adam Sabes contributed to this report
Putin says there will be no peace in Ukraine until Russia's goals, still unchanged, are achieved
HARRIET MORRIS
Updated Thu, December 14, 2023
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Russia Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his annual news conference in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool)
HARRIET MORRIS
Updated Thu, December 14, 2023
1 / 11
Russia Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his annual news conference in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool)
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday there would be no peace in Ukraine until the Kremlin realizes its goals, which remain unchanged after nearly two years of fighting that has sent tensions soaring between Moscow and the West.
Speaking at a year-end news conference that lasted over four hours and offered him an opportunity to reinforce his grip on power, Putin gave some rare details on what Moscow calls its “special military operation.”
He dismissed the need for a second wave of mobilization of reservists to fight in Ukraine — a move that has been deeply unpopular. He said there are some 617,000 Russian soldiers there, including around 244,000 troops who were called up to fight alongside professional military forces.
“There will be peace when we will achieve our goals,” Putin said, repeating a frequent Kremlin line. “Victory will be ours.”
Putin highlighted Russian military gains in Ukraine as the conflict's second winter approached.
“Almost all along the line of contact our armed forces, let’s put it modestly, are improving their positions, almost all in an active stage of action and there is an improvement in the position of our troops all along,” he said.
“The enemy has declared a big counteroffensive, but he hasn’t achieved anything anywhere,” Putin added, claiming that the latest Ukrainian attempt to create a bridgehead on the eastern bank of the Dnieper River also fizzled and Ukrainian troops suffered heavy losses.
He alleged Kyiv was sacrificing its troops in order to show some success to its Western sponsors as it seeks more aid.
“I believe it’s stupid and irresponsible on behalf of the country’s political leadership, but it’s their business,” he said.
Putin, who has held power for nearly 24 years and announced last week he is running for reelection, was greeted with applause as he arrived in the hall in central Moscow. He didn't hold his traditional news conference last year after his military failed to capture Kyiv and as the Ukrainian army retook lost territory.
But with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pleading for more U.S aid amid a stalling counteroffensive and fracturing Western support, he decided to face reporters once more — although the session is heavily choreographed and more spectacle than scrutiny.
It was the first time that Putin took questions from Western journalists since the fighting in Ukraine began. Ordinary citizens were able to submit questions alongside those from journalists, and Russian media said at least 2 million were sent in advance.
The news conference began with questions about Ukraine and highlighted concerns some Russians have about another wave of mobilization.
“There is no need” for mobilization now, Putin said, because 1,500 men are recruited every day. As of Wednesday, 486,000 soldiers have signed contracts with the military, he said.
His remarks about another mobilization were met with skepticism by some independent Russian media, which noted he had promised not to draft reservists for Ukraine and then reversed course and ordered a “partial” call-up. The move, which he announced in September 2022, prompted thousands of Russians to flee the country.
He reiterated that Moscow’s goals in Ukraine — “de-Nazification, de-militarization and a neutral status” of Ukraine — remain unchanged. He had spelled out those loosely defined objectives the day he sent in troops February 2022.
The claim of “de-Nazification” refers to Russia’s false assertions that Ukraine’s government is heavily influenced by radical nationalist and neo-Nazi groups — an allegation derided by Kyiv and the West.
Putin has also demanded that Ukraine remain neutral and refrain from joining NATO.
He reaffirmed his claim that much of today’s Ukraine, including the Black Sea port of Odesa and other coastal areas, historically belonged to Russia and were given away by Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin.
While Moscow had accepted the new reality after the USSR's collapse in 1991, Putin said he was forced to respond to what he described as an attempt by the West to turn Ukraine into a tool to challenge and threaten Russia.
“Russians and Ukrainians are one people, and what’s going on now is a huge tragedy, a civil war between brothers who have found themselves on the opposite sides,” he added.
Putin’s last news conference was in 2021 as the U.S warned that Russia was about to send troops into Ukraine. He delayed an annual state-of-the-nation address until February 2023.
Relations with the U.S. since then have plunged to new lows as the conflict continued. Russia detained Moscow-based U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich in March.
Shortly before Putin spoke, a Russian court ruled that Gershkovich, 32, must stay behind bars until at least Jan. 30.
U.S citizen Paul Whelan, a corporate security executive from Michigan, also has been jailed in Russia since his 2018 arrest on espionage-related charges.
Russia recently rejected an offer to bring home Gershkovich and Whelan, both labeled by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained.
"We’re not refusing to return them," Putin said Thursday, adding he wanted to reach an agreement but “it's not easy.” He refused to elaborate but said Washington “must hear us” and make an offer that satisfies Russia.
On the Israeli-Hamas war, Putin again deplored the death of thousands of women and children in Gaza, citing U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who called it a “graveyard for children.”
Putin urged stronger efforts to protect civilians and urged greater humanitarian aid, adding that Russia proposed setting up a field hospital in Gaza near the border with Egypt but Israel responded it would be unsafe. He reaffirmed a call for implementing a U.N. resolution on the creation of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Putin appeared calm and relaxed during questions, although he frequently cleared his throat, blaming the air conditioning. The event is primarily aimed at a domestic audience and is a chance for him to appear personally involved in resolving the problems of ordinary Russians and reinforce his authority ahead of the March 17 election.
Responding to a final question about what kind of warning he would have given to himself from today's perspective when he started his first term in 2000, Putin said he would have warned against “naivety and excessive trustfulness regarding our so-called partners.”
He also fielded questions from children in Russian-annexed Crimea about the leaking roof and mold in their sports hall, and a woman who addressed “my favorite president” to complain about the rising price of eggs. Putin apologized and blamed "a glitch in the work of the government,” for not increasing imports quickly enough.
Journalists lined up in freezing temperatures to enter the hall hours before Putin’s arrival. Some donned traditional dress, including elaborate hats to catch his attention or held identifying placards.
Although the event is tightly controlled, some online questions that Putin ignored appeared on screens in the hall.
“Mr. President, when will the real Russia be the same as the one on TV?” one text message said, apparently referring to the Kremlin's control over the media that portrays Putin positively and glosses over the country's problems.
Another read: “I’d like to know, when will our president pay attention to his own country? We’ve got no education, no health care. The abyss lies ahead.”
Putin was asked by an artificial intelligence version of himself, speaking with his face and voice, on whether he uses body doubles — a subject of intense speculation by some Kremlin watchers. Putin brushed off the suggestion.
“Only one person should look like myself and talk in my voice -- that person is going to be me,” he said, deadpanning: “By the way, this is my first double.”
___
This story has been updated to correct that 244,000 is the number of troops called up to fight and are in Ukraine, not the total number there.
___
Associated Press writers Emma Burrows in London and Dasha Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed.
Putin in rare apology over price of eggs
Reuters
Thu, December 14, 2023
Russian President Putin holds his annual press conference in Moscow
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a rare apology on Thursday when a pensioner complained to him about the price of eggs.
During Putin's end-of-year question and answer session with the media and with members of the public calling in from across Russia, pensioner Irina Akopova was shown seated at her kitchen table and addressing the president by video link.
She complained that prices for eggs, chicken breasts and wings had all skyrocketed.
"Vladimir Vladimirovich, take pity on pensioners! We don't get millions in our pensions. Sort this out - we have no one to turn to," she said. "I'm very grateful to you, I'm counting on you to help."
The question reflected real concern among Russians at the cost of living, and came after Putin had already acknowledged that inflation may approach 8% this year.
"I apologise for this, but this is a failure of the government's work... I promise that the situation will be corrected in the near future," Putin said.
The marathon Q+A is a format that gives Putin the chance to show he is sympathetic with ordinary people's worries and is ordering the relevant officials to sort them out.
The government this week said it would exempt 1.2 billion eggs from import duty in the first half of next year to try and rein in prices that have risen more than 40% this year.
Some of those who brought their problems to the president received instant solutions during Thursday's session.
Minutes after a group of young boys complained to Putin about the dilapidated state of their sports hall in Crimea, TV anchor Pavel Zarubin said volunteers from the Russian-annexed territory had called in and promised to renovate it.
(Reporting by Reuters, writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Reuters
Thu, December 14, 2023
Russian President Putin holds his annual press conference in Moscow
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a rare apology on Thursday when a pensioner complained to him about the price of eggs.
During Putin's end-of-year question and answer session with the media and with members of the public calling in from across Russia, pensioner Irina Akopova was shown seated at her kitchen table and addressing the president by video link.
She complained that prices for eggs, chicken breasts and wings had all skyrocketed.
"Vladimir Vladimirovich, take pity on pensioners! We don't get millions in our pensions. Sort this out - we have no one to turn to," she said. "I'm very grateful to you, I'm counting on you to help."
The question reflected real concern among Russians at the cost of living, and came after Putin had already acknowledged that inflation may approach 8% this year.
"I apologise for this, but this is a failure of the government's work... I promise that the situation will be corrected in the near future," Putin said.
The marathon Q+A is a format that gives Putin the chance to show he is sympathetic with ordinary people's worries and is ordering the relevant officials to sort them out.
The government this week said it would exempt 1.2 billion eggs from import duty in the first half of next year to try and rein in prices that have risen more than 40% this year.
Some of those who brought their problems to the president received instant solutions during Thursday's session.
Minutes after a group of young boys complained to Putin about the dilapidated state of their sports hall in Crimea, TV anchor Pavel Zarubin said volunteers from the Russian-annexed territory had called in and promised to renovate it.
(Reporting by Reuters, writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Gareth Jones)
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