Many people are familiar with the Salem witch trials, but did you know that a witch hunt occurred in the 1980s? Dubbed the "Satanic Panic," a wave of public hysteria led to pointless prosecutions and significant costs. With that said, let's take a look at...
Michelle Remembers - Or Does She?The book Michelle Remembers was released in 1980 by Canadian psychologist Lawrence Pazder. This purported to be an account of the repressed memories of Michelle Smith, unlocked via hypnosis and detailing the activities of a cult to which Smith's parents belonged. The cult performed human sacrifice and torture, while Smith herself was used as a vessel for Satanic possession.
Of course, human memory is a vulnerable thing. Psychologists (particularly Loftus and Palmer) have discovered that even something as simple as the words in a question may change memories. One study found participants were more likely to "remember" broken glass in a car-crash video after a week ... if the word "smashed" was used in questions rather than "contacted." No broken glass was present in the film.
It should also be noted that Smith would go on to marry Pazder, and the pair would obtain a hefty payout for the book and royalty rights.
One such case was that of Lee Pulling, who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1982. His mother attempted to sue the principal of his school, claiming that a curse placed upon Lee's Dungeons and Dragons character was "real" and that the game had caused Lee's death.
Though this failed, she would go on to form "BADD" or "Bothered About Dungeons and Dragons." The more evangelically religious got involved as well, decrying the game as a tome of demon worship and black magic that would open the gateway to demonic possession.
The accusations were outlandish. It was claimed that the staff dressed as clergy or even Santa Claus to cover up abuse and that there was a network of tunnels beneath the school. The methods used to question potential victims were suspect at best, relying on leading questions and puppets to elicit testimony from confused and worried children. Judge William Pounders even noted that credibility was becoming a major issue for the prosecution.
The ongoing witch hunt led to many other preschools being accused of similar acts. In the wake of the panic, the organization "Believe the Children" formed with the intent to raise awareness of similar abuse.
By 1989 the narrative had gained even more momentum. The St. Louis Post Dispatch newspaper published an article with Satanism "experts" who claimed that 50,000 people were being sacrificed every year in America. The paper also reports that this was more than twice the annual number of murders reported in the USA, a fact that people explained away by claiming the bodies were destroyed in rituals and thus were never found.
A Nationwide Crisis?By this point the narrative had become a juggernaut. Police, social workers, educators, and therapists were attending seminars on spotting Satanism, and everyone thought that the problem was spreading. Notably no hard evidence of Satanic cults or their criminal activities had emerged.
Even legislators got involved. Missouri House Representative Kaye Steinmetz brought up the issue, claiming that Missouri was in the top three states for cult activity. She would go on to claim that the abusers would dress up like Santa Claus or Easter Bunny outfits - a suspiciously similar claim to the stories from the McMartin school. Again, no actual evidence was put forward.
Lanning concluded that the stories were the product of urban legend, youthful imagination, and leading questions by overzealous investigators. In 1994, the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect published a study of 12,000 accusations of Satanic ritual abuse and found that not a single one had hard evidence to back it up. In addition, the McMartin accused were acquitted after a trial that cost taxpayers $15 million.
The arrest of financier and sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein added further fuel to the flames - not only was a member of the "wealthy elite" engaged in abuse, the circumstances surrounding his death implied that someone had engaged in a cover up. The expanding circle of influential people thought to be linked to Epstein only adds more credence to the theory - and weight to the otherwise outlandish claims.
- Michelle Remembers - Or Does She?
- Dicing with Demons?
- The McMartin Witch Hunt
- Seeing Satanism Everywhere
- A Nationwide Crisis?
- The FBI Investigation
- QAnon and a Grain of Truth
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| False memories led to a witchcraft panic... (Devin H) |
Michelle Remembers - Or Does She?The book Michelle Remembers was released in 1980 by Canadian psychologist Lawrence Pazder. This purported to be an account of the repressed memories of Michelle Smith, unlocked via hypnosis and detailing the activities of a cult to which Smith's parents belonged. The cult performed human sacrifice and torture, while Smith herself was used as a vessel for Satanic possession.
Of course, human memory is a vulnerable thing. Psychologists (particularly Loftus and Palmer) have discovered that even something as simple as the words in a question may change memories. One study found participants were more likely to "remember" broken glass in a car-crash video after a week ... if the word "smashed" was used in questions rather than "contacted." No broken glass was present in the film.
It should also be noted that Smith would go on to marry Pazder, and the pair would obtain a hefty payout for the book and royalty rights.
Dicing with Demons?
One niche pastime in the '80s was Dungeons and Dragons, a roleplaying game in which people act as fictional fantasy characters (dwarves, wizards, and so on) and roll dice to determine the outcome of actions. Though the hobby is associated with imagination, the developers probably didn't foresee being blamed for a number of suicides.One such case was that of Lee Pulling, who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1982. His mother attempted to sue the principal of his school, claiming that a curse placed upon Lee's Dungeons and Dragons character was "real" and that the game had caused Lee's death.
Though this failed, she would go on to form "BADD" or "Bothered About Dungeons and Dragons." The more evangelically religious got involved as well, decrying the game as a tome of demon worship and black magic that would open the gateway to demonic possession.
The McMartin Witch Hunt
In 1983, the McMartin family (owners of a preschool in California) found themselves accused of abusing an attending child. By 1984, seven family and staff were charged with a total of 321 counts of abuse, with claims made that the crimes were Satanic in nature.The accusations were outlandish. It was claimed that the staff dressed as clergy or even Santa Claus to cover up abuse and that there was a network of tunnels beneath the school. The methods used to question potential victims were suspect at best, relying on leading questions and puppets to elicit testimony from confused and worried children. Judge William Pounders even noted that credibility was becoming a major issue for the prosecution.
The ongoing witch hunt led to many other preschools being accused of similar acts. In the wake of the panic, the organization "Believe the Children" formed with the intent to raise awareness of similar abuse.
Seeing Satanism Everywhere
In 1988 NBC aired Devil Worship: Exposing Satan’s Underground, a "documentary" that included an interview with classmate-murderer Pete Roland. Metal music and marijuana were identified as key influences that brought people into an unholy lifestyle that led to crime and murder.By 1989 the narrative had gained even more momentum. The St. Louis Post Dispatch newspaper published an article with Satanism "experts" who claimed that 50,000 people were being sacrificed every year in America. The paper also reports that this was more than twice the annual number of murders reported in the USA, a fact that people explained away by claiming the bodies were destroyed in rituals and thus were never found.
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| Roleplaying games, music and drugs all got the blame... (galxrax rax) |
A Nationwide Crisis?By this point the narrative had become a juggernaut. Police, social workers, educators, and therapists were attending seminars on spotting Satanism, and everyone thought that the problem was spreading. Notably no hard evidence of Satanic cults or their criminal activities had emerged.
Even legislators got involved. Missouri House Representative Kaye Steinmetz brought up the issue, claiming that Missouri was in the top three states for cult activity. She would go on to claim that the abusers would dress up like Santa Claus or Easter Bunny outfits - a suspiciously similar claim to the stories from the McMartin school. Again, no actual evidence was put forward.
The FBI Investigation
In 1992, FBI agent Kenneth Lanning released a report into Satanic ritual abuse in America. The findings were striking - there was absolutely no evidence that it was happening. Lanning suggested that the idea of Satanic cults put a simple spin on a complex issue. Most abuse occurs by people already inside a child's life (especially family members) and the story of an unseen cult helped people "explain" these abhorrent acts from otherwise normal humans.Lanning concluded that the stories were the product of urban legend, youthful imagination, and leading questions by overzealous investigators. In 1994, the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect published a study of 12,000 accusations of Satanic ritual abuse and found that not a single one had hard evidence to back it up. In addition, the McMartin accused were acquitted after a trial that cost taxpayers $15 million.
QAnon and a Grain of Truth
Though the Satanic Panic died down, it seems like it may be making a return in movements like QAnon. Those involved sometimes believe that the political or celebrity elite are using their position and influence to abduct children. Members of the group have put their beliefs into action. In one case, a well-meaning but disturbed individual attempted to "rescue" non-existent trafficked children supposedly being held inside a pizza restaurant.The arrest of financier and sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein added further fuel to the flames - not only was a member of the "wealthy elite" engaged in abuse, the circumstances surrounding his death implied that someone had engaged in a cover up. The expanding circle of influential people thought to be linked to Epstein only adds more credence to the theory - and weight to the otherwise outlandish claims.
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