SISKIYOU SATANISM: The History Of One Rumor

Date and Place: 1989 a small town in Siskiyou County

How it all Started: Fundamentalist Sunday school teacher (youth counselor) hears from one of her students that another girl at the public school has heavy metal drawings in her notebook and that the girl threatened to kill another girl because "the devil told me to do it."

How the story grew: As the story was passed on, it grew in magnitude:

• Soon it was stated that a few adults and a few youths were involved in satanic activity locally.
• Specific sites were mentioned as ritual areas
• Specific people accused of sacrificing animals
• Specific children were believed to have been sacrificed
• Rumor stated more planned sacrifices would happen
• Rumors spread throughout the church, through the school, and then through the town
• Parents were afraid to let their kids play outside
• Pleas came to local and county police
• Police investigate--they take claims seriously and are afraid of vigilante activity.

The investigation by the Sheriff's Office: According to an public announcement by Charles Byrd, Sheriff: "Twenty local law enforcement officers from California Department of  Fish and Game, U.S. Forrest Service, California Highway Patrol, Etna Police Dept, and Sheriff's Department have reviewed and compared case information on illegal satanic activity. To date, there is no credible evidence to support the fear and rumors which have gripped this community. Yes, Satanism exists in communities around the world. Its roots precede Christianity. But, Satanism flourishes best in fear. Rumors are self-destructive. Otherwise intelligent and stable people are acting childish. Now our children are terror stricken. At this point, unlawful vigilante activity is the greatest threat to public safety. Adults and youth who take the law into their own hands will be prosecuted."

What I discovered: It appears that a 13 year old girl did have a drawing of some heavy metal rock group in her school folder, and a couple of students do claim she said the devil told her to kill a particular girl. That is the sum total of evidence.

Why did the rumor spread so fast? First, Mark Twain was correct--a lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting its shoes on. Second, underneath a fear is a belief, and underneath a fear in satanism is a belief in satan. I discovered that many religions have a "satan" figure--a figure that explains why an all-knowing, all-powerful, all- righteous god can allow misery in this world. It seems that a belief in an evil force causes some people to do battle with it, some to fear it, and some to commit violence. I certainly see many similarities between this occurrence and the Salem witch problem. One particular difference, however, is that our law enforcement leaders stayed calm, examined the evidence, and worked to stop the rumors.

Is there satanic activity? Yes, but although Geraldo Rivera believes there are over a million Satanists in America, the combined membership of all such groups is less than 1000. Such group members are recognized as being members of a legal religion and are protected by the constitution. The main groups advocate no violence or sacrifice, and they have stated publicly their abhorrence to child abuse and animal mutilation. The 50,000 to 2,000,000 children often referred to as ritually sacrificed each year (Rivera and the tabloids) do not exist. According to the Justice Department, less than 100 children are kidnapped by strangers each year, and 50% are found. Although the loss of even one child is cause for great concern, it helps to put the problem in perspective. What troubles me more than Satanism is the fact that FBI statistics indicate about 2000 children are murdered by their parents each year.