LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas' decision to put a Ten Commandments display on its Capitol grounds could lead to a monument menagerie that includes a statue of a monkey-faced deity and a banner promoting a vegan lifestyle.
The Satanic Temple has said it may erect a bronze Baphomet in Little Rock, and on Tuesday the Universal Society of Hinduism and the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals announced plans for their own displays.
Arkansas lawmakers this year emulated Oklahoma by authorizing a Ten Commandments display on Capitol grounds. The Oklahoma Supreme Court last week rejected religious displays at the Oklahoma City Capitol, so the groups have shifted their attention eastward.
The Satanic Temple, Hindus and animal rights groups say symbols of their deeply held beliefs should be displayed alongside the Ten Commandments.