Pamela Geller on the Jihad in America

Geraldo Rivera on Free Speech and Showers

Wonder who is really the snake, Free Speech provocateurs, radicalized jihadis or a vain jo-WHORE-nalist?

On First Amendment Prudence?

The "Draw Mohammed" event in Garland, Texas has provoked some mixed reactions in the media. Pamela Geller, the proprietor of Atlas Shrugged and co-founder of the American Freedom Defense Initiative, believes that speaking out against radical Islam through an event in Garland, Texas is properly exercising her Freedom of Speech.

Greta Van Susteran went "Off the Record" condemned Pamela Geller and the Draw Mohammed event as not being a prudent application of her First Amendment rights.



Some self censorship critics, point to Constitutional limits of Freedom of Speech.  Chris Cuomo got on his high horse regarding hate speech and kept pointing to the 1942 Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire Supreme Court decision about "fighting words".

But if one relies on the Constitution as being a "living document", one must read further high court cases.  to understand that "fighting words" limitations essentially now must be provocative personal epithets. For CNN commentators preening about their juris doctor degree, check Cohen v. California 403 U.S. 15 (1971) [the "Fuck the Draft" case] and Snyder v. Philips (2010) 562 USC ___ (2011) [Westboro Baptist Church protesting soldier's funeral],

It is ironic that there are elements in the media, which ought to revel in the First Amendment, that urge those who advocate unpopular opinions to be reticent about expressing their Freedom of Speech.  That's some freedom-- not!

It is ironic that there are elements in the media, which ought to revel in the First Amendment, that urge those who advocate unpopular opinions to be reticent about expressing their Freedom of Speech.  That's some freedom-- not!

Several years ago, after the Gabrielle Giffords shooting, there was an effort for encourage civic civility. Alas, that was a progressive ploy to stifle conservative dissent and was not reciprocated by the left.

The admonitions of today to be prudent when exercising free speech seem to show the inroads of cultural jihad.  One can not express Free Speech which a Muslim might find offensive. This can be considered soft tyranny or de facto sharia.  Should we acquiesce to such sensibilities now, consider how imams like Anjem Choudrey would handle such offensive speech. 

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Pamela Geller on Free Speech

Journalist for Censorship in Geller NYC Transit Graffiti Bust

After winning a court battle which tried to censor the sentiment, Pamela Geller’s “Support Israel- Resist Jihad” ads were recently circulated in the New York City Transit system.

In a apparent publicity stunt, CNN and MSNBC  Egyptian-American columnist Mona Eltahawy chose to vandalize the perceived anti-Muslim ads as she was being filmed.  What the commentator criminal did not count on was Pamela Hall, a concerned citizen getting in the way.




Ms. Hall was sympathetic to the “Resist Jihad” campaign but she also stood up against squelching free speech and countenancing clear vandalism.  The delay seemed to be long enough for the NYPD to step in and cuff the apparently indignant Eltahwy.  Mona claimed that she was not harming anyone and that she too was exercising her First Amendment rights.  It seems that Eltahwy’s civics lessons did not cover battery and vandalism are unacceptable in the civilized public square.  Moreover, in America the cure to undesired speech is more speech not erasing the other side.

While the perpetrator  acted melodramatically , she also was intent to exploit the American civil system while de jure imposing  Shariah law.  Perhaps when she pleads her case in court, she can quote the pertinent part of President Obama’s recent speech before the UN General Assembly “The future does not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam.”

But accepting that it was a publicity stunt for her cause and to raise her esteem on progressive news outlets like MSNBC, it is downright curious that a journalist sought to advance her career by championing censorship.   Especially since Eltahwy is supposed to be a feminist Muslim who wants to change Muslim practices.  Geller's ad is aimed against Salafists who want to annihilate Israel.  So in the end Eltahwy still adopts the extreme Muslim perspective of imposing Shariah codes on everyone.  This failed stunt does not seem like forward progress, even for a liberal bastion like MSNBC.

h/t: Hot Air
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