The Satanic Temple Fighting Twitter Over Discrimination

By Gary Nguyen --
31 May 2018 --

Twitter [CC BY 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

TST has filed a complaint against Twitter with MCAD for religious discrimination.

The Satanic Temple (TST), an organization headquartered in Salem, Massachusetts, has accused social media giant Twitter of discrimination.[/tweetit] The charge was based on religious grounds. Twitter not only suspended the TST account but also the account of Lucien Greaves, the co-founder of the organization. TST has filed a formal complaint with Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD).

The Satanic Temple Fighting Twitter Over Discrimination[/tweetthis]

In its statement, TST said that Twitter, along with other social media platforms, must evenly and responsibly uphold all terms of service. The latter must be applied in a non-biased manner free of arbitrary petty and discriminatory behavior. Greaves continued, “to ignore Twitter’s blatant discrimination against the Satanic Temple is to yield ourselves to regressive new world of acceptable online violations against civil liberties.”

“Satanists are equal to any other religious adherents under the law, and deserve to be treated equally”[/tweetthis]

MCAD, which received the complaint on March 12 released no further information. H. Harrison, the spokesman for the commission, said the agency will not release any additional details until it investigates on the aspect of probable cause. This process takes about 18 months.

The TST claimed that Twitter took this draconian step after Greaves prodded his followers to file a report against a resident of Massachusetts who used the handle @LaurieGatta1 to goad people to burn down The Satanic Temple’s Salem headquarters. According to TST, the tweet’s popularity exploded when Corey Feldman, the actor, retweeted it. Twitter, the Satanic group claims, then suspended its accounts.

Everybody do me a favor, if you have a moment: report this asshole for asking people to burn down The Satanic Temple headquarters on Twitter. https://t.co/XtY1pwaYpD
— Lucien Greaves (@LucienGreaves) January 10, 2018

The statement put out by TST continued, “while Twitter lifted the suspensions of both the TST and Lucien Greaves accounts after their actions were exposed in mass media, they still have not verified the accounts of either while failing to justify their refusal. The complaint has charged Twitter of discrimination of public accommodation.”

Twitter has suspended the @LaurieGatta1 account. It is to be known that TST does not worship Lucifer. It advocates instead for a strict distinction between the church and state. It also opposes tax exemption statuses for religious organizations. TST has been known to support women of pro-choice standing in abortion matters during the last few years. It is also against the installation of religious symbols in public places and child abuse. The Temple’s Santa Cruz Chapter recently adopted the city’s Seabright Beach.

Randazza Legal Group is representing The Satanic Temple against Twitter. https://t.co/OyP2lpz3lF
— Marc J. Randazza (@marcorandazza) May 30, 2018

Oh babies will cry…. TST go home, you’re drunk again…. https://t.co/c0yQtf0icy
— Jeffrey Ivins (@IvinsJeff) May 30, 2018

Twitter’s going to hell in a handbasket
.
a social activist group called the Satanic Temple [says] the social media giant violated its…rules when it suspended the group’s…account [and] has filed a formal complaint against Twitter with the MA Commission Against Discrimination.
— Joe Facts (@factsnotfears) May 30, 2018