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Spreading hate: Monday Edition.
Author: Raine    Date: 05/04/2015 13:25:41

I went to bed last night trying to wrap my head around the events yesterday in Garland, Texas.
Harn said it was not immediately clear whether the shooting was connected to the event inside, a contest hosted by the New York-based American Freedom Defense Initiative that would award $10,000 for the best cartoon depicting the Prophet Muhammad.

Such drawings are deemed insulting to many followers of Islam and have sparked violence around the world. According to mainstream Islamic tradition, any physical depiction of the Prophet Muhammad — even a respectful one — is considered blasphemous. (snip)

The event featured speeches by Pamela Geller, president of the AFDI, and Geert Wilders, a Dutch lawmaker known for his outspoken criticism of Islam. Wilders received several standing ovations as he quoted former President Ronald Reagan and Texas founding father Sam Houston.


One of the suspects in the shooting is dead.
One of the suspects in the shooting in Garland, Texas, late Sunday has been identified as Elton Simpson, an Arizona man who was previously the subject of a terror investigation, according to a senior FBI official.

Overnight and today FBI agents and a bomb squad were at Simpson's home in an apartment complex in north Phoenix where a robot is believed to be conducting an initial search of the apartment.

Officials believe Simpson is the person who sent out several Twitter messages prior to the attack on Sunday, in the last one using the hashtag #TexasAttack about half an hour before the shooting.


Extremists appear to have gotten what they wanted: more martyrs. Islamaphobes hold a cartoon drawing convention — paying $50K in security to award people $10K for first prize — and now they are shocked that extremists targeted them. Pamella Geller showed up on CNN claiming that she was a victim.
The conversation devolved into whether Geller had ever called Muslims “savages,” which she said she had done once in her life. She argued she criticized only Muslims who kill over their beliefs. “I am anti-jihad, I am anti-Sharia,” Geller said. “You, by spaying I paint with a broad brush, are saying all Muslims support jihad. Alisyn you sound very Islamaphobic.” It was that type of segment.

“The fact that we have to spend upwards of $50,000 in security speaks to how dangerous and how in trouble freedom of speech is in this country,” Geller said. “And then we have to get on these news shows, and somehow we are, those that are targeted, those that were going to be slaughtered, are the ones who get attacked speaks to how morally inverted this conversation is.”

“This is not an attack,” Camerota replied, pointing out that they were at that moment having the exact conversation over speech and piety Geller had been calling for.


Extremism breeds extremism. It's cause and effect. This was why Geller held the event in Garland Texas:
When a Chicago-based nonprofit held a January fundraiser in Garland designed to help Muslims combat negative depictions of their faith, Geller spearheaded about 1,000 picketers at the event. One chanted: "Go back to your own countries! We don't want you here!" Others held signs with messages such as, "Insult those who behead others," an apparent reference to recent beheadings by the militant group Islamic State.


Poke a hive long enough and the wasps will swarm. While Geller may claim this was about her freedom of speech, she was inciting hate. Gasoline - meet fire.

and
Raine
 

65 comments (Latest Comment: 05/04/2015 23:02:20 by Will in Chicago)
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