Cartoon event in Texas - gunmen killed!

[catswiththum]

If they come after Calvin and Hobbes I will man the barricades.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by finnbow

She's a raving lunatic and a heroine of the far right. Little wonder she chose to have this "contest" in Texas.

The choice of venue was an attempt at "wicked irony". A while back, the same hall had been used for a "Stand With The Prophet" rally to combat Islamophobia.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by Ike Bana

I don't give a shit in Goebbel's hat if Pamela Geller is a nazi. Pamela Geller is an asshole, but Pamela Geller isn't gunning down people who offend her.

Free speech is free speech. If it's provocative it's too fucking bad. "Piss Christ" was free speech. Fred Phelps practices free speech. George Lincoln Rockwell and Malcolm X were practicing their right to free speech and were murdered for it.

American flag "desecration" is free speech. What those who would limit flag burning or any other free speech constantly forget is that more than anything, the US Flag stands for the right to walk on, piss on, and/or burn down the US Flag. Tough shit if it's "provocative", get the fuck over it. This is the USA, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, France... not Gaza City for christ's sake.

It seems that you think that condemning Geller as a racist provocateur is the same as condoning the attempted massacre. Isn't it possible that both are despicable acts and that neither can be used as an excuse for the other?

[Tom Joad]

Originally Posted by catswiththum

If they come after Calvin and Hobbes I will man the barricades.

You always were a haughty one Cats, trying to impress everyone with your name dropping.

What you haven't realized yet, is that on this forum you are way out of your league.

[Pio1980]

The point, I would assume, was to be provocative, "free speech" aside. Did it provoke a hostile response? Apparently so.

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[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by JJIII

I agree with Ike's post #6 completely.

Hosanna!!! May wonders never cease.

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by Tom Joad

I don't.

How's about Ike's #8?

[Tom Joad]

Originally Posted by Ike Bana

How's about Ike's #8?

That was the one I meant.

I messed up, my bad.

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by Pio1980

The point, I would assume, was to be provocative, "free speech" aside. Did it provoke a hostile response? Apparently so.

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We either support free speech, or we don't. Outside of threats or "shouting fire in a theater" type dangerous speech, when we start suggesting that somebody, anybody, can start qualifying what speech isn't protected, us "liberals" will hate it as much as anybody. And the whole concept will be in trouble.

Back in the 90's there was a student exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago. One of the kids had this display where the only way into it was through a narrow passage with an American flag on the floor you had to walk on to get in. It was quite a kerfuffle. Some idiots were screaming that the entire Art Institute should be shut down. A local art critic's response was, "Look, if you don't like it, don't go. But this is the United States of America, not the United States of Good Taste."

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by Ike Bana

We either support free speech, or we don't. Outside of threats or "shouting fire in a theater" type dangerous speech, when we start suggesting that somebody, anybody, can start qualifying what speech isn't protected, us "liberals" will hate it as much as anybody. And the whole concept will be in trouble.

The thing about free speech is that it's a thing that the government must not prevent. This is far from the same thing as protecting it from public protest. No, I don't think the actions of the two shooters in Texas is legitimate protest. That doesn't mean that someone exercising their right to free speech is absolved from any responsibility for whatever they say.

In the light of recent events like the Charlie Hebdo and Boston Marathon massacres, Geller must have anticipated that the reaction to this infantile "contest" could be violent in the extreme. The police presence at the event should be ample proof of that. It's even likely that she viewed an attack on the event as a desirable outcome.

In my opinion, Geller bears an equal share of the blame to that borne by the dead shooters. Thank God it's only they who are dead. It could have been a lot worse.