Scary stuff in Garland TX

[jwlv]

From Garland TX Police:

GARLAND — Police in Garland say they believe the two men killed outside a controversial art show Sunday night were there to shoot the approximately 200 people attending the event before a traffic officer intervened.

The suspects were identified as Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi of Phoenix.

The American Freedom Defense Initiative was hosting the Muhammad Art Exhibit inside the Curtis Culwell Center Sunday. The event featured a contest for cartoon depictions of the Prophet Muhammad and was almost over when the incident occurred.

Garland police spokesman Officer Joe Harn said at a 10 a.m. news conference Monday that security had been ramped up for the controversial event, and a plan had been in place involving the FBI for months.

Organizers of the event paid $10,000 to have extra officers on hand.

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Imagine if the event didn't pay to have extra officers there? It could have ended very, very badly.

[ScarlettPhoenix]

That was a horrible incident but I believe the organizers of the event were partially to blame as well. Just because you have freedom of speech doesn't enable you to yell, "FIRE" in a crowded theatre. The purpose of their event was to draw comics of Allah.
Don't get me wrong-I'm Jewish. I would be just as outraged if skinheads and Neo Nazis organized an event which basically ridiculed the Hebrew religion. That's what they did. Even if they deny it, they knew what they were doing and it was an outright taunt to see 'what would happen'.  Well- they got their wish.

Shame on you American Freedom Defense Initiative for being so immature. There was no reason why you had to stoop to these kinds of tactics.

[jwlv]

Yes, I agree that they were poking the sleeping bear. But you can't say one that kind of freedom is okay and another kind is not. All those people who attended and participated in the event also knew that there may be a retaliatory attack. We've all seen that authors, newspaper reporters, artists who criticized or mocked Allah have been targeted. And some were killed by extremists. I think the organization is standing up to make a statement.