So the terrorists are winning.

[walldude]

I see lots of calls for closing Free Republic. For getting Beck, Limbaugh and their ilk off the air. Lots of calls to remove certain liberties in order to make us feel "safe". Well that means they are winning. Was it not just a couple years ago that the left felt like the right was trying to shut us up? That they were calling us Un-American and Terrorist supporters? Now the tables have turned and we are acting just like they did. Sorry but I can't support the removal of free speech because a few people have gone off the deep end. This kind of speech has always existed and we have managed to fight it without taking away anyones rights to be an asshole. There is no reason to start now.



Perry White: Kent! You are on the next flight to Paris, Terrorists have taken over the Eiffel Tower.

Clark Kent: Mr White, that's terrible!

Perry White: That's why they call them Terrorists Kent.

[Deja Q]

1. See, the mindset only works when it's about the other people. Not us.

(Just observing; about this Carie Prewashedjeans person, I made a similar remark... I'm sure I got flamed for it too...)

[Jennicut]

2. Its not free speech. Free speech comes with responsibilities.

Advocating murder of others is hardly "free" for the people who are under threat.

[walldude]

4. So are you going to be the person who determines who is "responsible"

and who is not? Who is allowed to speak freely and who is not? I believe the relevant quote is "One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter". I'm certain that there are Christian fundies who would like us to stop talking about Gay rights, maybe we should let them decide what "responsibility" is. They think the murder of Tiller was justified. You want them making decisions on who should be allowed free speech and who shouldn't?

[Jennicut]

13. You know, I thought about it and you are correct. I was just so angry.

We have to be careful not to let our anger turn us into the other side.

[walldude]

14. Thinking is what separates us from them.

Going with the gut is how we get into these messes in the first place. Thanks for your candor and honesty, most people wouldn't have bothered to post that.

[Jennicut]

17. Yeah, well my parents are conservatives so whenever I hear myself

sounding like them in any way, shape or form I have to step back and think it over. I love them but do not want to end up close minded and ignorant of reality like they are.

[dem629]

6. Who advocated the murders?

[Tangerine LaBamba]

3. The hard truth

is that we cannot defend ourselves against crazies like this von Brunn and the fucker who murdered Dr. Tiller. Or Timothy McVeigh.

It's the price we pay for having a free society and I've had enough of the Fuckface regime trying to shut down our Constitution. We don't need to continue that bullshit, since, obviously, it hasn't worked.

Free speech is a necessity, not a luxury, and we need to protect the most hateful of speech in order to safeguard our own rights.

A hard truth, but that's how it is and always has been .............................

[NightWatcher]

5. they are winning. A guy kills Dr Tiller and his clinic closes and stays closed (for now)

Anti-choicers call it a victory.

RW talkers keep trying to "motivate" their base to do horrible things and nothing is done to stop them. So yes, they are winning.

Yelling "Fire" is not free speech, nor is hate speech, free speech. So if noting is done to stop them, yes, they are winning.

[walldude]

8. Well what if the Anti-Choicers want to be the ones who decide

what is acceptable speech and what isn't? You and I may think O'Reilly is full of hate speech but the other side think he's right on the money. HOw do you determine who to shut up?

[JuniperLea]

7. Doesn't make much sense, does it?

Becoming what you hate never works out.

It never ceases to amaze me how a group of people who have had so much hate hurled at them, can actually turn around and hurl hate at another group of people. If it's no good for the goose, it's no good for the gander either.

Besides, it provides a service... the real bad guys have a place to hang out and brag about their stupidity. Like moths to a flame.

[walldude]

11. Yep the word "backfire" keeps coming to mind...

Gonna be in Irvine end of Sept. Got a great new show. I'll keep in touch as we get closer. I'll also have some days off in Marina Del Ray right before that, maybe we can hook up for dinner or something..

[JuniperLea]

15. Excellent! eom

[dem629]

9. Yep. People need to be careful about the climate they're in

but there should be no silencing of speech.

There's a lot of urging in that direction around here.

[The_Casual_Observer]

10. They aren't winning anything, the one bastard is in jail for murder

& the other is probably dead. There are just well publicized crimes with a motive. Why glorify it with some other name?

[walldude]

12. Because they have people running scared.

Scared enough to have people contemplating the altering of the first amendment. The point of terrorism isn't the killing it's the fear instilled by the killing. Thats why their called "terrorists".

[slackmaster]

16. And unfortunately it's happening on our watch

The downside of being in power.