Has common sense, like Elvis, left the building?

An art exhibition featuring cartoons of Mohammed attracted gumen who shot up the place and were killed

Gunmen shot dead after opening fire at art exhibition in Texas featuring depictions of Prophet Mohammed - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

I have to ask, did anyone not expect this to deliberately provoke an incident? Particularly in the light of recent events elsewhere. This is not, as the organisers suggest about freedom of speech, it is like yelling fire in a crowded theatre. I would be the first to say jihadists need to pull their head in, however deliberately prevoking them is stupid. It is to be hoped security agencies pay the same attemtion to these people as they would to the jihadists, prevoking a terrorist act should carry the same penalties as the act itself

Having seen a great deal on the web by the organizer of the event, I would not be surprised if the event was held to draw the muj out from hiding.

Her website: http://pamelageller.com/about/

So really what your saying is we should give up our lands and allow sharia law to take over because if we resist then it might offnd them and they like to kill those that offend them for any number of reasons.

Bull, it was about freedom of speech and to show that even in this country your not safe from the nutcases that want to preach hate and death.

Would you have rather it been another art exhibit with Christ in some bodily fluid?

This was the same group that protested the muslims use of school district facilities for their own rallies.

500 Protest Islamic Conference At Garland ISD Facility « CBS Dallas / Fort Worth

Sounding Off: Garland-Mesquite residents debate Garland ISD’s actions to allow a Muslim peace conference | Dallas Morning News

It should be noted that two nut jobs involved in criminal behavior have no reflection on the muslim community in Garland who didn't protest the groups activity. The group had their own security in place and obviously prepared.

Islam debate returns to Garland ISD’s Culwell Center with Muhammad art event | Dallas Morning News

It's just like comparing Islam with the dopes who did the French terrorist stuff. They are criminal loony idiots! No different than ISIS, or the KKK, godless NUTS!!!

No I never said that obviously we vigourously defend our lands against aggression but there was no evidence of aggression before this event was held. I think that other art exhibition was deplorable and should not have been allowed. Just because a thing can be done doesn't mean it should be, and those who deliberately provoke whether it be on religious or racial grounds should be dealt with severely. We should not be going out of our way to offend any group. That is the real point here I'm for a sane society where we live together in harmony not one where we feel we must always assert our superiority. This exhibition wasn't about freedom

Tell the Islamics that. Their goals are different.

This sums up my feelings... and from the big guy himself.

As always, I am with u

The Islamic community didn't show up, but a couple of nuts did. Even Hebdo spared no religion his cartoon opinions, but Geller and her group had one subject in mind.

Racists have a right to free speech, but that doesn't change the fact they are haters and racist.

Fanatics of any persuasion do not have the right to inflame a situation to the point where someone gets killed that goes for both racial and religious issues and we should stop the namby pamby nonsense of protecting free speech when there is obvious intention to inflame and cause offense. This was one such instance but there are many examples in recent history.

There is such a thing as a duty of care and that includes protecting everyone

Heil Paraclete!

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You have choices and with those choices comes responsibility. We don't shoot people for what they say, nor do we throw them in jail. That is the basics of a free society, and all are protected by it. Even this hate spewing Geller group.

Even in a place like Garland Tx, the support for the Gellers is loud, but a small group. Let 'em hate, while others who hate follow them, and the rest ignore them. Only a warped sick fool gets a gun to shut them up!

ISIS loves these small groups of haters though that spur the ignorant nut cases to actions they benefit from.

That's the way of the dictator cats, taking what is said out of context and verballing someone, you have joined the ranks of Goebells

No context to take. You said what you said. You wish to control peoples' speech. I will not allow you to claim you said something else.

Freedom of speech is a right that is protected, you can say whatever who want. It is the repercussions that you need to deal with. One could post graphic and obscene cartoons of Muhammad violating Jesus's nail holes as some sort of divine hand job. There is NOTHING stopping anyone from doing that. The fallout is the problem. You could be murdered. You could be fired from your job. You could be ostracized by the world. You're life could be ruined and over.

From what I gather the artist believed that there wouldn't be any severe fallout beyond the controversy. The controversy was what he was going for in this case to bring several issues into the collective consciousness for processing. He caused this to happen but isn't responsible for it. Given the nature of the subject he'd assume that something like this could happen but it isn't on us to censor his artwork.

I think it is disgusting and arrogant of us as a society to disrespect Islam the way we're doing at the moment. It isn't a sign of the enlightened society we claim to be. If their faith says to refrain from portraying Muhammad in art then don't do. Not because the harsh religion says so, but out of respect for another fellows faith. It's the only way we're going to be able to live together as society and not fall to pieces as we're doing now.

I think we have to stop thinking in broadbrush definitions and take things at face value. Speech means speech or reported speech, it doesn't mean art, and the right to go out of your way to offend doesn't exist. As far as respecting Islam is concerned I'll do that when they stop killing Christians but my disrespect comes from different sources it results from their actions. My faith asks me to refrain from killing therefore by your standard muslims should refrain from killing people of my faith and their own scriptures suggest that but they fail to heed it and they kill their own just as easily.

Why should common sense be dictated by what artists say they believe? The deluded minds that create what is said to be art offer no standard of behaviour and they should be guided by society as to what is acceptable when dealing with certain subjects I deplore the attack on Charlie Hebdo but I think they were not wise in doing what they did and putting their staff at risk. Similarly these people in Dallas were not wise in acting as provocateurs. They did not have public saferty in mind

Just to set the record straight cats this is what I said. Note the words; obvious intention to inflame and cause offense. I believe the public need to be protected from those who have no intention of protecting public safety irrespective of their views. You apparently believe rabble rousers should be able to ply their trade with indemnity.

Most Americans feel that disgusting as an a$$hole can be, as long as they are within the law, then they can do as they please. Provocative and crazy are not illegal, nor is profiting from being either.

Participation is voluntary.

Agreed. We also have the nut jobs from Westboro Baptist Church who are noted for showing up at funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq or Afghanistan and cheering, saying God is glad they have died (on the theory that God is punishing the US for advancement of gay rights). Clearly that causes great hurt to family and friends, but they're allowed to do it regardless. I view Pamela Geller and her ilk as similar -she's a bigot intent on insulting a group of people and hoping to spark an incident. If her agenda was really about free speech her exhibit should have included works of "art" like "Piss Christ" (look it up: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piss_Christ) and burning the American flag - both are forms of protected free speech, per the Supreme Court, and both cause great upset among a lot of people. But she is interested only a targeting Muslims. I whole-heartedly disagree with holding an exhibition of cartoons designed only to inflame, but support her right to do so.

Yes but Westboro doesn't represent Christianity and I have the view they should not be allowed to profane the memory of those soldiers. Perhaps the way around this is to stop protecting such people let them taste the violence they provote first hand. The point is some things are sacred and we have lost the respect for the sacred, whether that is a religion or a soldier who has paid the price, and become more concerned about those who sell liberty very cheaply