Had a moment of extreme despair today after watching John Oliver's recent show detailing all the ways in which our country (the US) has become no longer a democracy. Heavy stuff, all put together like that. But lying paralyzed at the bottom of the despair well, I realized: Still, in the face of defeat and tyranny, I will not give up. I will fight with everything I've got.
After 50 years of fervent effort by the Religious and alt-Right, this country has slid into theocratic despotic rule instead of fair representation of the will of the people. I doubt I will see the people -- the electorate, us, of all our stripes -- take back control and fix this before I'm dead (I'm 48). And I'm not sure it will return at all, since we don't have a democratic system anymore that can improve things (thanks to the electoral college, the filibuster, gerrymandering, lifetime justice appointments, etc.). Plus, I fear that as climate change wallops us, society is going to start falling apart pretty drastically. It seems hopeless.
But I won't give up. I will fight with what I can do best: write. I will shepherd this current Satanic Practice book out and spread the word; I can at least plant seeds of revolution in the hearts of some. I can offer the misfits and outcasts, the oppressed, a home and a loving, accepting community. If all I can do is inspire others to hope, still it will be something. We Satanists are here, in full revolt against tyranny; maybe seeing us stand strong and unbowed will give others hope they can fight too. And banding together under our unified banner gives us power we would otherwise never have alone.
Theocracy has won and entrenched itself firmly, and it will be a long road fighting to take back our democracy. We need to start now, battling however we can, even if little change comes of it at this stage. This will take generations, just like the Right's plan to seize control and install theocracy took. The book is all I've got, so for my part, it will have to do. But I can put everything I have into it, at least. We're so close to the finish line. A few more mornings of high pain sitting at the editing desk, and then my book designer and I can start working on the design, the last step before it goes out the door. I will survive. I'm focused on the battle ahead, and hopeful that somewhere, sometime, someone will read my book and be inspired to take a stand for justice and democracy.
HAIL RESISTANCE! Hail Satan!
Lilith Starr is a Satanic writer and the author of "The Happy Satanist: Finding Self-Empowerment." She founded the Satanic Temple - Seattle Chapter in 2014. In 2020, she was awarded The Satanic Temple's first ever Anatole France Literary Award. She is currently working on a new book about Satanic Practice, due out late 2020/early 2021.
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