Wall Street Journal: Pamela Geller and the First Amendment

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Watch this video – it’s a good discussion on free speech.

Opinion Journal: Pam Geller and the First Amendment
5/5/2015
Global View Columnist Bret Stephens on the organizer of the Texas Prophet Mohammed cartoon context. Wall Street Journal, May 5, 2015

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garland free speech event

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Stephanie
Stephanie
8 years ago

#GarlandShootings Q.33:37 ‘annoy’ (e.g. cartoons) 9:12 ‘… criticism … may STOP (evil actions)’
https://twitter.com/schnellmann_org/status/595664639142277121

IzlamIsTyranny
IzlamIsTyranny
8 years ago

That was a refreshing change of pace from the Sharia supporters that seem to comprise the rest of the enemedia. Really, if anyone doesn’t want to hear any criticism of pi$$lam, they can just move to ANY izlamic state and they’ll never have to hear, read or see any such criticism ever again and they’ll finally find their nirvana of tolerance.

bill reitzes
bill reitzes
8 years ago
Reply to  IzlamIsTyranny

Amen.

KristenTSeitz
KristenTSeitz
8 years ago
Reply to  bill reitzes

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wildjew
wildjew
8 years ago

Is the Obama-supporting left (people like Chris Matthews, etc.) motivated by ideology or by bigotry?

Hat tip to Ed Driscoll (PJ Media).

Driscoll: Past performance is no guarantee of future results:

Matthews: Geller Caused Texas Shooting Herself, by Setting Muslim ‘Mousetrap’

1) —”Chris Matthews: This Idea That France Has To Adjust To Your Thinking Is Outrageous,” Real Clear Politics (with video), January 7, 2015.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2015/01/07/chris_matthews_this_idea_that_france_has_to_adjust_to_your_thinking_is_outrageous.html

2) —”Chris Matthews: Pamela Geller CAUSED Texas shooting by setting a TRAP for Muslims, compares to Nazis,” transcription of video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2ba8xu2aP4

Philip
Philip
8 years ago

“Pamela Geller is one of the bravest people in the nation.”
-Mark R. Levin

ThoughtfulLiberal
ThoughtfulLiberal
8 years ago

Absolutely, Geller has every right to say anything she wants, including putting on this exhibition of work. She can do that. One could even argue that almost as a necessity to keep the 1st Amendment strong, we need Pamela Gellers to continue to provoke others.

NoTroll Zone
NoTroll Zone
8 years ago

The attack on the first amendment is the first sign that our country is under attack by isslam.

Two Islamic Terrorists
Two Islamic Terrorists
8 years ago

The Islamic savages don’t need any prompting as they take the initiative to murder and burn alive and kill women and children all across the Mideast today.

Its good these two terrorists are dead.

ThoughtfulLiberal
ThoughtfulLiberal
8 years ago

Absolutely, Geller has every right to say anything she wants, including putting on this exhibition of work. She can do that. One could even argue that almost as a necessity to keep the First Amendment strong, we need Pamela Gellers to continue to provoke others. Hopefully liberals can stop watering down freedom of speech when they don’t agree with what’s being said. I’m with you there.

I also agree that there is no excusing terrorism because someone is angry, and to whatever extent people are making excuses for violent killers, they are just wrong.

I think it is a useful exercise, though, to imagine the reaction if blasphemous depictions of Jesus Christ were presented in a “gallery” as an exhibition. Let’s say, and I apologize in advance for the graphic nature of the description, it’s an exhibition dedicated only to images of Jesus performing depraved sexual acts, and committing the most heinous violence one can imagine. Everyday, nonviolent Muslims are in attendance, laughing and enjoying the “artwork.” It would be shocking. It would be offensive. It would turn all our stomachs.

Would supporters of Geller be rising up to support the free speech prereogatives of this exhibition? Frankly I doubt it. But Geller’s exhibit is in the same category to some — deeply offensive. Maybe the world needs it, but there are other ways to communicate. I would never go so far as to blame Geller for the attack, but for the offense… yes.

Fighting hate with more hate only gives terrorists more bulletin-board material. It only adds to a downward spiral and encourages a lack of respectful discourse – the very discourse that the First Amendment is supposed to protect in the first place. It’s not necessary to blaspheme an established faith to make your point. Most importantly, as a strategy, it doesn’t win you any converts! You’re only preaching to the choir.

Again, no intent to justify the attack is intended here.

Keith
Keith
8 years ago

No I don’t suppose Ms Geller would be there supporting a muslim event that is offensive to Christians but at the same time and even more importantly she would not be calling on her followers to kill the organisers. Nor would any of the anti Jihad followers be attacking and trying to gun down as many of the attendees as possible.
It is only the followers of Islam who believe that they can insult, offend and call for the death or subjugation of everybody else in the world and not be criticised or offended in return.

ThoughtfulLiberal
ThoughtfulLiberal
8 years ago
Reply to  Keith

First off, she may not be directly advocating violence. But I wasn’t asking whether SHE would do something, but calling into question the First Amendment as justification (as opposed to legal protection) for the exhibit.

And frankly I don’t know how you can be so sure that Christian fundamentalists would not do exactly that when confronted by such a deeply offensive display. It is not only the “followers of Islam,” by which I assume you mean Islamist terrorists. There have been many many hate crimes committed against all kinds of people, done by all kinds of people, for less, or for no reason whatsoever.

And still, I don’t hear any justification, beyond the strictly legal one, for the event itself. Seems its only purpose was to provoke and insult, and see what would happen.

Pompano
Pompano
8 years ago
NoTroll Zone
NoTroll Zone
8 years ago

You make a good point, but keep in mind that the prohibition of drawing muhammad only applies to musslims.
So, if you are a musslim, then don’t draw him.
But if I am not a muslim, then don’t impose your religion on me and tell me what I can or cannot do in our land where freedom of speech is the law.
And specially, don’t come to our land to kill us.

ThoughtfulLiberal
ThoughtfulLiberal
8 years ago
Reply to  NoTroll Zone

Again – I am not arguing there should be a prohibition or that you should take on the precepts of Islam. Only that there should be sense of responsibility. OF COURSE no one should impose their religion on another, and OF COURSE no one should kill. But that doesn’t mean Geller gets a pass.

She’s clearly fighting a war… one in which “winning” is a losing proposition for everyone.

Mermarsh
Mermarsh
8 years ago

I appreciate Thoughtful Liberal’s thought-experiment of an art show devoted to anti-Christian works. And to be sure, the audience for such an event would definitely matter. With all that in mind, it’s instructive to consider the eventful history of the artwork Piss Christ and the artful photographs of the original piece. Information readily available on Wikipedia.

ThoughtfulLiberal
ThoughtfulLiberal
8 years ago
Reply to  Mermarsh

Interesting. I read the entry. I’m not entirely sure if you have a point, but if you’re trying to say that no one was physically attacked for it, fine. That’s good. I have no need to either attack or defend the artist or the reaction to it.

One can say and do all kinds of things wrapped in the cloak of the First Amendment. And I am a firm supporter of that freedom. I just wish the dialogue would move beyond rights, since that’s not really in dispute, and toward responsibility.

Two wrongs don’t make a right, Ms. Geller.

NoTroll Zone
NoTroll Zone
8 years ago

Because he really is a coward.

BonniePrinceCharlieD
BonniePrinceCharlie
8 years ago
Reply to  NoTroll Zone

No, he’s not. In this case, however, he seems to have missed the real point. Was the cartoon competition provocative? Yes, it was. But being provoked does not give you the right to silence other people and kill them. That is not civilised behaviour. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech and there are laws to stop people abusing this. What Pamela did – albeit in a provocative manner – was to highlight the attack on freedom of speech by people for whom it doesn’t exist, and that’s what Mr O’Reilly should have picked up on.

FreemenRtrue
FreemenRtrue
8 years ago

O’Reilly is a progressive.

Hans
Hans
8 years ago

Wow that was a great clip on free speech, they both seems to have a brain

Butseriously
Butseriously
8 years ago

Prophets raised as divine is Muslim fakery.

Guest
Guest
8 years ago

Well done Pamela for standing up to these revolting cowards and all opponents of free speech that includes especially the mainstream media.

Warfield
Warfield
8 years ago

Garland, Texas 2016!!!! When can I sign up to attend next year’s event?

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