Historically, Dungeons & Dragons doesn't cross over with politics very well. The "Satanic Panic" of the 1980s, which at times ascribed Dungeons & Dragons as a Satanic cult recruitment tool, played no small part in the rise of fundamentalist Christian political activism. Few could have predicted that Dungeons & Dragons would be mentioned again by politicians in 2022, yet that's exactly what happened. Fewer yet would guess it's brought up with regard to the veracity of demonic possession.The Dungeons & Dragons mention comes from US Congressman Ted Lieu, a representative for California's 33rd district based in Los Angeles County. Lieu made a post on Twitter in which he linked an article listing the "15 Most Powerful Demons in Dungeons & Dragons," and even goes so far as saying he's played the pen and paper RPG before. If that were the full extent of the context, it would be a relatively innocuous thing. Unfortunately, it's much worse than that.RELATED: Dungeons and Dragons Players Discuss Fates Worse Than DeathLieu made the Dungeons & Dragons post in response to a CNN article covering Kristina Karamo, a Republican candidate for Michigan's Secretary of State. The article covered Kristina Karamo's comments in which she explained her feelings on demonic possession. Karamo explained that having "intimate relationships with people who are demonically possessed or oppressed" could open "themselves up to possession. Demonic possession is real." Karamo was, at the time, trying to associate pro-choice advocates and women who have abortions with Satanic cults and child sacrifice.

Needless to say, Karamo's comments hearken back to the era of Satanic panic in the 1980s, which never went away but also hasn't been seen so dramatically in politics in a generation. Perhaps that's why Lieu decided to mention Dungeons & Dragons in his post on Twitter, if only to make reference to a time when Dungeons & Dragons players were looked at as Satanists. That's something that's happening again, only instead of Dungeons & Dragons players being targeted, pro-choice supporters and women seeking reproductive healthcare are.

Lieu's comments come off as intended to be mocking, to joke about how silly the idea of demonic possession being real is by referencing Dungeons & Dragons demons. But they also belie an odd disconnectedness to a very serious situation. Karamo is genuinely the Republican candidate for Michigan's Secretary of State. While she isn't polling well, she at least has a chance of earning a very important political position in 2022.

There are questions to be asked regarding the appropriateness of joking about Dungeons & Dragons in this situation. Perhaps Congressman Lieu could have been more specific with his Dungeons & Dragons references, mentioning the demon Prince of Deception Fraz-Urb'luu or Pale Night, whose true form drives those who look upon her insane. Alternatively, Dungeons & Dragons players would probably prefer not to be mentioned in politics at all anymore.

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