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Year: 2023

Satanic Temple’s ‘bizarre’ inclusion at Wisconsin Christmas tree festival sparks outrage: ‘No neutral ground’

Satanic Temple’s ‘bizarre’ inclusion at Wisconsin Christmas tree festival sparks outrage: ‘No neutral ground’

A Wisconsin museum is facing backlash after its annual Christmas tree festival included some controversial entries this year. Of the 66 trees on display at the National Railroad Museum in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, the ones that seemed to draw the most attention belonged to the Satanic Temple of Wisconsin and the Bay Area Council on Gender Diversity. The trees, which will be on display until Dec. 31, included decorations fitting for their causes, and not the typical ornaments depicting images related to Jesus, angels or the Christmas holiday. VIRAL VIDEOS SHOW FORMER OBAMA OFFICIAL LAUNCH RACIST RANTS AGAINST NEW YORK CITY FOOD CART VENDOR The tree belonging to the Satanic Temple was adorned with red lighting and beads, pentagrams, and various ornaments, with one reading, “Hail Santa,” an apparent play off the phrase, “Hail Satan.” The Gender Diversity tree included pink and blue colored trans flags, and ornaments with sayings such as, “Protect Trans Kids.” According to local NBC affiliate WGBA, museum CEO Jacqueline Frank admitted a number of local residents attending the festival had expressed concern over the presence of the trees, but also said some had praised their inclusivity. Others took to social media to air their grievances. “Outrageous! National Railroad Museum features a Satanic worship tree,” Matt Batzel, executive director of conservative grassroots organization American Majority, wrote in a post on X, including photos of the Satanic display. MARYLAND ATTORNEY GENERAL SUSPENDS HATE CRIME TASK FORCE MEMBER CLAIMING BABIES MURDERED BY HAMAS WERE ‘FAKE’ Some users questioned why the trees would be displayed at a “family friendly event,” while another wrote, “Why is WI looking like Commiefornia??? We used to be wholesome and safe…” Fox News Digital also spoke with one local Christian pastor named Luke Farwell in De Pere, Wisconsin, who said he questioned the National Railroad Museum over the decision to include the trees at a Christmas event with children, when it again touted the “inclusivity” and “teaching opportunity” of the trees. “It seemed a little bizarre to me that someone, based on that, would think it was appropriate to have a Satanic temple Christmas tree — or tree, I should say. I won’t dignify it by calling it a Christmas tree,” Farwell said, before expressing disappointment at the “pushback” Christians have received when it comes to the First Amendment, while groups like these are allowed to participate in such a way at a Christmas event. MARYLAND HATE CRIME TASK FORCE MEMBER CLAIMED BABIES MURDERED BY HAMAS WERE ‘FAKE,’ COMPARED ISRAEL TO NAZIS He argued that Christians believed strongly in free speech, including for the Satanic Temple, but questioned the judgment of mixing Christian themes with Satanic ones. “What I think Christians need to do more is exercise their ability to allow these venues to have the freedom — such as the National Railroad Museum — to host different ideologies and different groups that have different viewpoints, but recognize that Christians find these things to be offensive or definitely targeting them in terms of belittling their faith or how they celebrate the holidays,” Farwell said. “Christmas is a time when we celebrate and really rejoice in the fact that God loves this world that we live in and God cares for us. But it also reminds us that we, as adults and parents, remember the Good Shepherd. The shepherd has two voices — one for his sheep and the other for the wolves. And we need to exert that voice,” he said. He closed by referencing a quote from the late Christian author C.S. Lewis, who said, “There is no neutral ground in the universe; every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counter-claimed by Satan.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the National Railroad Museum for comment.

How rare earth elements factor into the clean energy transition

How rare earth elements factor into the clean energy transition

The demand for Rare Earth Elements is growing as the world transitions to cleaner energy sources. Rare Earth Magnets are used in electric cars, wind turbines and other evolving technology. Regulations and environmental concerns have slowed production of magnets in the U.S. as China ramped up its manufacturing with fewer workplace standards. “We have a very high standard of ethics that we subscribe to and we maintain within our industry,” Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration president Marc LeVier said. “This is not our grandfather’s mining companies anymore. These companies are high tech and there’s a lot of regulations in place that we comply with.” From the mid-1960s through mid-1980s, the U.S. was largely self-sufficient in manufacturing Rare Earth Elements. When the U.S. began implementing environmental regulations, nearly all domestic rare earth mining operations ended. Other countries – including China – stepped up to fill in the market gap.  “When we talk about the carbon intensity of producing something, it starts with the energy used to mine things like minerals or for that matter, any other fuel source, and then how that fuel source is used,” Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said. “All of it is highly intensive pollution in China and it’s much less intensive in the United States. That gets back to the proven fact and why we want to demonstrate this advantage that the polluters have over us.” BIDEN ADMIN QUIETLY RELEASED STUDY SHOWING GREEN ENERGY RECEIVES FAR MORE SUBSIDIES THAN FOSSIL FUELS U.S. firms relocated their production to other countries, like China. Manufacturers faced less stringent standards and could pay lower wages abroad.  “Sometimes we just can’t compete with what the Chinese do. The Chinese don’t have those kinds of standards,” LeVier said. “We have a lot of regulatory rules that we have to abide by. We have prescribed a way of dealing with the environment. We document baseline studies to demonstrate how it is before we come in and disturb the ground. And our goal is to put it back the way we found it or better.” Nearly every part of the process impacts the environment. Mining can pollute ground water and destroy ecosystems. Dangerous metal byproducts are released into the air through refining. China also has less restrictive labor laws. LeVier says his colleagues at the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration who have visited Chinese mines and manufacturing plants were surprised about the working conditions and safety standards.  “I think that some of that’s improving,” LeVier said. “It’s the old adage it can’t improve fast enough and it should have improved yesterday. But we know that we can operate these mines safely. We’re the best in the world at operating safely and responsibly.” The U.S. has several places where large portions of Rare Earth Elements could be mined and refined. Geologists have announced deposits in Idaho and Colorado. Manufacturing companies are examining locations in Montana, Arizona, Nevada and Wyoming. However, government regulations are slowing down any new mining and manufacturing efforts. THE SLOW DEMISE OF GREEN ENERGY? “We need a dramatic increase in our ability to mine and process minerals both here in the United States and around the world, in places that are our friends and our allies,” Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said. “That’s something that I think we should be doing on a bipartisan basis, permitting reform and investing more in the development of these critical minerals.” American Rare Earths plans to begin operations in about five years at their site in Halleck Creek, Wyoming. U.S. Critical Materials is exploring a location in Southwest Montana called Sheep Creek. However, it could need another five to 10 years of exploration before applying for permits to mine. The company tells fox it is also working to expand rare earth processing in the U.S. alongside the Idaho National Laboratory. After an eight-month study, it hopes to be among the few domestic producers with the technology to separate and refine rare earth elements. “This has exposed other vulnerabilities we need to take care of. We’re in the process of doing it. But of course, you can’t do it with the snap of your fingers,” Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said. “China is actively trying to sabotage other sources of these rare earth elements because they realize what a competitive advantage it is to have us dependent on them.” Demand for Rare Earth Elements is expected to rise 40% in the next two decades as additional wind turbines power businesses and homes, and more electric cars hit the road.  “I think a lot of people in the United States are waking up to that now and realizing, Well, what do you mean we’re going to open more mines in order to have an energy transition?” LeVier said. “We’ve got a great opportunity. And we can we can get it done with the minerals we have here in the United States.”