The Satanic Temple is participating in the Festival of Trees at Wisconsin’s National Railroad Museum.
Red lighting and beads adorn the tree, as well as images of pentagrams and ornaments with the phrase “Hail Santa.”
The Bay Area Council on Gender Diversity is also displaying a tree featuring pink and blue flags and ornaments reading, “Protect Trans Kids,” “I’m still learning to love the bits of me that I was told were ugly,” “Don’t become a prisoner to things you cannot change,” and “I love my trans daughter.”
National Railroad Museum CEO Jacqueline Frank said the organization has “six Christian-related groups that have trees up this year, but it’s mostly businesses and nonprofit organizations.”
“We have everything from a tree with hardware on it, a tea tree, we have a Lego tree. It’s a lot of different organizations promoting their business,” he told the Green Bay Press Gazette.
Frank added that the museum will not reject trees. “There was no hesitation. We’re not a religious organization. We focus on trains,” he noted. “And honestly, the Christmas tree is used by so many different secular and religious organizations. All we’re doing is putting up decoration in that room.”
The CEO declared that the museum values inclusivity.
“If we want to be an inclusive organization, we want to make sure that everybody feels comfortable. Who am I to suddenly say … this thing that is your belief system and outside the mainstream is bad?” Frank stated. “I think there’s a lot to be said of being able to include everybody, to respect everyone, and to provide dignity for everybody.”
The trees have been criticized, with one social media user saying, “Outrageous! National Railroad Museum features a Satanic worship tree.”
Outrageous! National Railroad Museum features a Satanic worship tree https://t.co/B8f7PXrtiB #wiright pic.twitter.com/8zLI4Lgv1O
— Matt Batzel (@MattBatzel) November 22, 2023
