The mayor of an Alabama town reportedly called for "killing out" gay people in a since-deleted Facebook comment.And this guy:
Mark Chambers lumped "homosexuals" and "transvestites" together with "baby killers" and "socialists" in the post, according to TV station WBRC.
A Flordia politician has ignited criticism in his response to the idea that gay people should be legally executed in America.I'm pretty sure that both men are card-carrying members of the Christian Taliban.
The first jerk said that he only meant to spew his hateful bile in a private message. As though that makes it any better.
So, Comrade, a question. Should either or both of the two gentlemen above be allowed to own and possess a firearm? I don’t seek a yes/no, but simply ask if these sorts of statements should be enough to constrain an individuals rights...and if not, why not...and if so, for how long? This is the inherent issue with a powerful tool like a firearm and individual bias.
ReplyDeleteI can't see terminating a person's rights because of speech, not unless we're going to throw away the First Amendment.
ReplyDeleteNow if they made a move to act on their beliefs that others should be killed because they don't like them, well, that's different. In that event, retaining the possession of their weapons would be the least of their problems.
Fair enough, but the worrisome thing is some percentage of those that propose such actions will follow through...
ReplyDeleteWe have the concept of fighting words, and the limitation regarding yelling fire in a crowded theatre, how does this play here?
If either or both of these gentlemen, and any who might agree with them, were aware that their targets had a fair chance of being armed, I am sure they woul be much less likely to act on their beliefs.
ReplyDeleteSomething like Ida B. Wells' advice to Black families to keep a Winchester rifle displayed as a deterrent to lynch mobs.
0_0, however, the presence of the forearm in the house does constitute a threat to those in residence too...which is why it is dismaying that we have to consider that action as a “necessary” one.
ReplyDeleteCP88, it is dismaying that there are those in the world who wish us harm.
ReplyDeleteI don't expect that to ever change.