pamelagellerPamela Geller is back in the news.
She announced on her blog she’s going to publish the winning cartoon from her Garland hatefest in ads on buses and trains in D.C.
She complains the media is enforcing Sharia Law and freedom of speech is under attack.
Here’s what she doesn’t understand. Freedom of the press means we have the right to print what we like and don’t have to print what we don’t want. Most media outlets haven’t found any reason to print her winning cartoon, because the only reason it was created was to insult and to incite violence. Had two gunmen not attacked her Garland Klan rally, media would have paid no attention to her event.
Freedom of speech doesn’t entitle her to newspaper coverage. She can print whatever she likes in her blog. She can say whatever she likes, wherever she likes.
Most people believe freedom of speech comes with responsibility. Just because you can say something doesn’t mean you should say something. An example is how Westboro Baptist Church pickets military funerals. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Phelps clan has the right to picket, but no one really believes they should.
Freedom of the press comes with responsibilities as well.  An example is when police have asked us not to print information we had because it would jeopardize an investigation. The Constitution says we could print it. Responsible use of freedom of the press told us not to.
Most people understand the concept of respecting other people with different beliefs.
Most people understand that if the only reason to say something is to anger someone else, you might be better off keeping your damn mouth shut.
Geller doesn’t care to take that advice. Her cartoon serves no purpose other than to irritate people, but no one’s stopping her from saying anything. Because I choose not to print her vile cartoon isn’t because this Jewish guy is enforcing Sharia Law. It’s because I see no reason to print something whose sole purpose is to insult Muslim friends of mine.