In a 1991 Rolling
Stone article entitled "Sympathy for the Devil: It's not easy being
evil in a world that's gone to hell," Lawrence Wright found several of
Anton LaVey's autobiographical claims to be wholly or partially untrue. Since
that time Wright's findings have been reproduced by many people wishing to
"debunk" LaVey: estranged daughter Zeena's "Anton LaVey: Legend
and Reality" is probably the most famous example. This has resulted in a
widespread belief that Anton LaVey was an inveterate bullshit artist whose
every word was a lie including "a," "and" and
"the." A man who died in poverty yet refused to monetize Black Masses
is scorned as a con artist who was only in it for the money. And Satanism, a
philosophy that shows remarkable integrity and coherence throughout LaVey's
career, is dismissed summarily as fraud from a fraudster.
As with William S. Burroughs and Andy Warhol,
Anton LaVey's persona is one of the most important parts of his oeuvre. Any study of LaVey and his
philosophy must touch upon the facts of his life and any serious biographer
must ascertain where truth ends and fiction begins – and when that question
matters.
* * * * *
Several weeks ago Adam Lanza slaughtered twenty
children and six adults at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. Every bedtime
since Annamaria has insisted we read Sesame
Street's Imagination Song. Every bedtime since I have choked up as Ernie
sails off into the sunset.
"And the nicest place is the middle of
imagination," I sing, my voice cracking as my daughter nestles heavy-eyed
against me, "when I'm there."
Many of my fellow Americans think I have been
duped. They have decided those murdered children and grieving families are all
part of a plot to take away our guns. James Tracy, a media studies professor at
Florida Atlantic University, is claiming that the emergency personnel on the
scene were really "crisis actors" hired by the Obama administration
and states "one is left to inquire whether the Sandy Hook shooting ever took place — at least in the way law enforcement authorities and the nation's news media have described." On Senator
and Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul's website, The Daily Paul, staffer vinceableworld writes in a since-deleted post:
So far I've seen dozens of conflicting stories. I've seen some very convincing theories of actors playing roles. I've seen some fairly conclusive evidence of look-alikes... I've watched a police trooper threaten to PROSECUTE people putting out "disinformation."
I have not seen ONE SHRED of evidence that any kids are dead or that the Sandy Hook massacre even happened. All we have is hearsay - in a court of law that doesn't mean a darn thing.
So tell me what evidence have you seen that these kids died and haven't been shipped off to... god knows where?
They are just crazies, I tell myself as I wipe
my eyes and Annamaria smiles softly and nuzzles her pillow. And of course they
are: nobody sane could possibly believe this was a false flag operation. Yet as
the debate over gun regulation has continued it has becomes increasingly clear
the Powers That Be are taking
seriously the loons we've come to call without a scrap of irony "Sandy
Hook Truthers." The NRA and its paid politicians have circled the wagons, more
concerned they might lose their gun market than that more children might lose
their lives. It is convenient for them to act as if those grieving parents are
just using it to promote their liberal New England agenda, as if those dead
children washed off the blood and went home, as if the whole thing never
happened and we can safely ignore anyone who says otherwise.
I no longer weep for what we have lost. Now I weep for what we have become.
* * * * *
When I started this book I used noted American
genealogist William Adams Reitweisner's LaVey family tree to trace Anton
LaVey's paternal line back to Nebraska and a liquor salesman named Leon Levy. Levy
rose to some prominence in Omaha only to run afoul of gangster "Irish
Tom" Dennison. As part of Dennison's efforts to gain control of Omaha's
saloons and drinking establishments Leon Levi was arrested numerous times on
trumped-up licensing charges. Later his wife divorced him, yelling in court
"I would rather go to the pen for twenty years than stay with my husband for one day!" and charging him with cruelty and "overindulgence on
his part of the cup that cheers."
It was a magnificent beginning. It had family
drama and a powerful crime boss who used the law as a club to get what he
wanted. LaVey claimed his father had been a liquor salesman: it would make
perfect sense for Michael Levy to
continue in Leon's trade. I patted myself on the back, secure I had just
figured out a great deal of what made Anton LaVey tick and certain that it
would only get easier going forward.
Then I discovered that the "Michael
Levy" in question was 15 years' older than Anton LaVey's father. And that he died in 1931 rather than 1992.
And that I had just wasted several weeks
following one of America's leading genealogists down a rabbit hole.
* * * * *
"I’d rather have my background shrouded in
mystery," Anton LaVey told Lawrence Wright. As was often the case, he got what he wanted. I have presented the available
primary evidence and attempted to place it in the context of its time and
place. When lucky, I have been able to find a newspaper clipping, a census
record, a city directory listing or some other scraps of data which confirm or
refute LaVey's claims. More often I have been forced to rely on conjecture and
speculation, or to admit that it is anybody's guess as to what happened. There
is very little certainty to be had when looking at Anton LaVey's life story,
only a Rorschach blot to be interpreted as the viewer will. And as with a
Rorschach blot those interpretations often tell us more about the biographer
than the subject.
In The
Satanic Bible LaVey promised "Here you will find bedrock." There's very little bedrock here, just
some guideposts pointing out interesting anomalies in the swamp. Those
determined to think Anton LaVey a fraud will not be dissuaded by evidence of
his integrity; those convinced he is a liar will not be persuaded by examples
of his honesty; those who imagine him a devil-worshipping reptilian Illuminatus
will not be silenced by inconvenient facts. Satan has always been misunderstood
and those who will take up his cause can expect no better.
But enough from me. Who cares about the porter
when you're standing at the Gates of Hell? Hopefully my words have whetted your
desire: enjoy the performance!
Kenaz Filan
Newark, New Jersey, 2015
Newark, New Jersey, 2015
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