How many of you remember the satanic panic of the 1980s and 1990s? Remember that America was swept up in a moral panic that from coast to coast a secret network of satanic worshipers were sexually and physically abusing children? It seems insane to contemplate that thousands and thousands of people seriously believed that bloody murders and sacrifices were routinely performed by a secret cabal operating under everyone’s noses. Which in San Diego’s local case included accusation that a mentally and physical challenged man had not only abused child in his care but had also somehow managed to slaughter both a giraffe and an elephant as part of the satanic ritual.

These cases had no basis in reality. What they had were an easy method of isolating and directing hate towards others in ‘defense’ of mythical normalcy.

Which brings us to our current version of this deranged and dangerous mindset, Q Anon.

The Satanic Panic of the 80s and 90s had to grow slowly passing by word of mouth, rumor, and poorly sourced local reporting but Q Anon with its equally absurd assertions that a world-wide web of elites is secretly abusing and murdering children exploded across the nation and beyond with the speed of internet communications. I see the similarities between the satanic panic and Q Annon as quite important. Both were birthed from conservative culture, equally certain that secret insidious forces are at work and being ignored by authorities and possessed with the zealot’s zeal for their own righteousness.

The satanic panic of the 80s and 90s destroyed lives the moral panic of Q Anon may destroy democracy.