So, Terry Jones has been put in jail. And what crime did he
 commit? What crime was he convicted of?

 He was convicted of being a threat. His crime was the intent to
 hold a protest outside a mosque.

 I think Terry Jones is a mad, nasty hatefilled man. Or, perhaps
 he's playing for publicity, and eventually profit. More likely
 both.

 Yet he was put in prison for what he *INTENDED* to do. For what
 he was going to do, not for what he did.

 Once upon a time in America it was popular to say, "I do not
 agree with a thing you say, but I will defend to the death your
 right to say it."

 Now it's, "I do not agree with a thing you say, and I will shout
 you down to keep you from saying it." Yet the same people who
 shout down speakers at a town hall meeting will denounce Terry
 Jones being locked up.

 They were wrong about the former, but they are right about the
 latter.

 Terry Jones is a dangerous man. His behavior is irresponsible,
 and can and has led to violence. Yet what he does is
 constitutionally protected.

 It is sad that those who suffer for his irresponsibility are
 innocents, who probably have never heard of Terry Jones or have
 any idea what he does. Yet allowing the violent segment stop
 those they disagree with does not prevent violence, it incites
 more violence. Sooner or later they will find something else to
 object to. It's called extortion.

 I do not know how we can prevent the violence thousands of miles
 from the US border without violating the constitutional
 principle of freedom of speech. Yet I cannot see how anyone can
 justify suppressing offensive speech out of fear of those who
 will commit violence.

 Though I do see one light in this darkness. The Wahabi preachers
 who come here, sponsored by Saudi Arabia, teach an intolerant
 version of Islam, a version that has inspired all of the terror
 against the US, for all practical purposes.

 So, if they can claim the right to silence Terry Jones, they
 they have the obligation to silence the Wahabi. After all, Jones
 did not preach violence, or teach violence, or show any sign of
 wanting to incite violence. The Wahabi do.

 Yet Terry Jones is not, himself, a clear and present danger, the
 Wahabi are. So, why has there been an attempt to restrict Jones,
 but not the Wahabi.

 Mostly because all too many, including all too many in Fidonet,
 want to attack all Islam, and refuse to focus on the true and
 only terrorist threat to the US, Wahabi, and Saudi Arabia.

 All to many prefer to appeal to bigotry against the whole group,
 instead of focusing on the real danger. As long as that is true,
 Jones will be restricted, and the Wahabi will spout their hate
 freely.

 Enjoy your new world. Remember the constitution we used to have.



BOB KLAHN bob.klahn@sev.org   http://home.toltbbs.com/bobklahn

... Against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
--- Via Silver Xpress V4.5/P [Reg]
 * Origin: Since 1991 And Were Still Here! DOCSPLACE.TZO.COM (1:123/140)