Two suspects killed, guard shot outside ‘Draw Muhammad’ contest in Texas

[kelroy55]

I'm not sure what the organizers expected putting on a show all Muslims deem offensive, or if they wanted something to happen. The show organizers have been labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.


Two gunmen were killed and a security guard wounded Sunday outside a “Draw Muhammad” contest organized by a free speech group at a school arena in Garland, Texas, police said.

The attackers drove up and opened fire on the security guard as the event was finishing up about 7 p.m. (8 p.m. ET), said Joe Harn, a spokesman for the Garland police.

Officers at the heavily-policed event returned fire, killing the men.

The suspects’ bodies remained at the scene because investigators were concerned there could be a bomb in their car. A bomb squad robot was checking the vehicle, Harn said.

There were no immediate clues to the identity of the attackers.

The area was evacuated, and the 200 or so participants were taken away from the scene on buses, said Harn.

The Garland Independent School District identified the unarmed security guard as Bruce Joiner, who was treated for a gunshot wound to the ankle and released from a hospital several hours later.

School tests due to take place at the center Monday would no longer be held there, it said.

The FBI was involved in the investigation and the area would remain an active scene until the morning, NBCDFW reported.

The contest was described as a “free speech” event by its sponsor, the American Freedom Defense Initiative, which is listed by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an active anti-Muslim group. It offered a $10,000 top prize and featured Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who is known for his anti-Muslim views, as its speaker.

Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott issued a statement late Sunday calling the shooting “senseless.” He said Texas authorities were “actively investigating to determine the cause and scope” of the attack.

“This is a war. This is war on free speech. What are we going to do? Are we going to surrender to these monsters?” Pamela Geller, the executive director of the American Freedom Defense Initiative, wrote on her website. “The war is here.”

“Right when we were beginning to drive away, we heard gunshots,” Cynthia Belisle, who attended the event with a friend, told NBC News. “We thought they were fireworks, but they were not.”

Belisle said that dozens of cops sprang into action and that she was told to stay put.

She said she heard a second round of shooting and saw police rushing toward the far end of the parking lot with arms drawn.

“We were scared,” she said.

The arena hosted a “Stand With the Prophet” event in January. It held that event as well as the “Draw Muhammad” event because it has a non-discriminatory policy, according to The Dallas Morning News.

In January, gunmen in France attacked and killed 12 people at the Paris offices of magazine Charlie Hebdo, after it published satirical cartoons depicting Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, which has come to be considered blasphemous by many Muslims around the world.

[Urbanized]

I'm really conflicted on this. Obviously the shooters got everything they deserved. But pouring gasoline onto a fire doesn't accomplish anything, except for making the fire bigger. The entire premise behind the event is asinine.

[kelroy55]

I'm really conflicted on this. Obviously the shooters got everything they deserved. But pouring gasoline onto a fire doesn't accomplish anything, except for making the fire bigger. The entire premise behind the event is asinine.

I agree with you. I read the American Freedom Defense Initiative is from out of state and Pamela Geller — who is president of Stop Islamization of America (SIOA) and is also listed as a hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center helped organize the event. The only reason they held the event there was because a couple months ago the Islamic conference — Stand With the Prophet in Honor and Respect held it's conference there.

[onthestrip]

Im not a fan of hating on Islam just because you are a scared and staunch Christian. But I am a fan of openly practicing freedom of speech. If a person, group, or even a nation wants to draw pictures of a historical figure, then so be it. People should not be silenced due to the threat of violence. I'd prefer this issue go away not because we are scared into silence, but because militant Muslims realize we dont bow down to their threats.

[kelroy55]

Im not a fan of hating on Islam just because you are a scared and staunch Christian. But I am a fan of openly practicing freedom of speech. If a person, group, or even a nation wants to draw pictures of a historical figure, then so be it. People should not be silenced due to the threat of violence. I'd prefer this issue go away not because we are scared into silence, but because militant Muslims realize we dont bow down to their threats.

I agree but these people hate all Muslims, not just the militant ones and the cartoons are offensive to all Muslims.

[Mel]

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Interpret that how ever you like.

[jerrywall]

I'm really conflicted on this. Obviously the shooters got everything they deserved. But pouring gasoline onto a fire doesn't accomplish anything, except for making the fire bigger. The entire premise behind the event is asinine.

I don't know that I agree. Considering the Charlie Hebdo shooting, this is in many ways a form of sit-in or protest against that violence (whatever the goals of the group behind it).

I also liked the one Israeli response to the Muhammad cartoon controversy years ago -

Israeli antisemitic cartoons contest - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Mel]

Police kill two gunmen outside Muhammad cartoon event in Garland - Fox4News.com | Dallas-Fort Worth News, Weather, Sports

One officer took them down with his service pistol. They had assault rifles and body armor. This officer deserves a medal.

[Easy180]

My initial reaction when I heard about the "event" was they wanted something to happen and sure enough it did

[kevinpate]

Achmed would probably be proud.

[BlackmoreRulz]

How does this event differ in any way from the Satanists at the Civic Center that those who oppose this supported wholeheartedly?

[Easy180]

How does this event differ in any way from the Satanists at the Civic Center that those who oppose this supported wholeheartedly?

Wouldn't differ at all had there been shootings and mass murders by Christians at recent Satanist events.

[White Peacock]

I agree but these people hate all Muslims, not just the militant ones and the cartoons are offensive to all Muslims.

Why does it matter who is offended by it? The non-militant Muslims who are offended by it will act like grown-ups and get over it, because in this country you don't have a right to not be offended.

I'll never understand the compulsion of people who are critical toward Christians to be overly protective of Muslims. Intellectual consistency should see Muslims getting just as much, if not more, flack than the Christians are getting, yet there's this inexplicable need to protect their delicate ears and eyes as a minority, despite the fact that they hold onto a faith that's even more loathsome than that of the Jews and Christians.

There shouldn't even be a debate as to whether or not this group, bigoted or not, should have held their event. Personally, I think things like this (blasphemous toward any topic that's considered off-limits) should be a regular occurrence until all of the easily-offended morons littering our landscape become desensitized to it enough that they can finally start contributing to the advancement of the species instead of trying to drag it back down into the primordial ooze.

[Mel]

Piss Christ - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This was funded by American tax payers and nobody was killed over it even though it is disgusting. The problem is not us. Link is probably nsfw or even this forum.

[Chadanth]

Piss Christ - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This was funded by American tax payers and nobody was killed over it even though it is disgusting. The problem is not us. Link is probably nsfw or even this forum.

Read the wiki. It was not funded by taxpayers, it happened to win at an art event that received some funding, irrespective of content, from the NEA.

[Mel]

My bad. I am guilty of not reading the whole thing. I just remember the incident. Still, nobody was murdered over it.

[Chadanth]

My bad. I am guilty of not reading the whole thing. I just remember the incident. Still, nobody was murdered over it.

That's very true. People were upset, threatened to defund the NEA (misplaced anger), and we're quite vocal. But no one died. And of course the artist of Piss Christ was hoping to antagonize, just as the people in Texas. There's a pretty big difference in the outcomes, for sure.

[Tritone]

Whenever I'm offended by something I am told to be open-minded, or more tolerant, or less old-fashioned. In other words, no one gives a rat's buttocks. Normally I do not go out of my to offend people but it is becoming more and more tempting.

[Mel]

Lot of butt hurt but no blood.

It does take the phrase" Don't Mess With Texas" to a whole new level.

[adaniel]

I find mostly everyone in this situation to be horrible.

This organization wanted a reaction and they got it. Absolutely nobody deserves to be hurt for practicing free speech. With that in mind, groups that aim to antagonize and nothing more are not worth my time.

If members of the KKK were hurt after holding a rally in a black neighborhood, would anyone bat an eye?

[Chadanth]

I find mostly everyone in this situation to be horrible.

This organization wanted a reaction and they got it. Absolutely nobody deserves to be hurt for practicing free speech. With that in mind, groups that aim to antagonize and nothing more are not worth my time.

If members of the KKK were hurt after holding a rally in a black neighborhood, would anyone bat an eye?

Probably not. Just like I wouldn't have shed a tear if, say, a truck driver lost control and drove through a Westboro protest.

[hoya]

Why does it matter who is offended by it? The non-militant Muslims who are offended by it will act like grown-ups and get over it, because in this country you don't have a right to not be offended.

I'll never understand the compulsion of people who are critical toward Christians to be overly protective of Muslims. Intellectual consistency should see Muslims getting just as much, if not more, flack than the Christians are getting, yet there's this inexplicable need to protect their delicate ears and eyes as a minority, despite the fact that they hold onto a faith that's even more loathsome than that of the Jews and Christians.

There shouldn't even be a debate as to whether or not this group, bigoted or not, should have held their event. Personally, I think things like this (blasphemous toward any topic that's considered off-limits) should be a regular occurrence until all of the easily-offended morons littering our landscape become desensitized to it enough that they can finally start contributing to the advancement of the species instead of trying to drag it back down into the primordial ooze.

Christians have more political power in this country. There's a certain "damn the man" mindset amongst certain liberals that says it's okay to be an unfair prick if its against someone who is part of an advantaged group. Minorities have to be protected from the awful majority. There's a conflict there where their desire to always root for the underdog meets the actions of insane Islamic radicals who spit on free speech and hate the ideals the liberal stands for.

[hoya]

A few years ago, the Onion had an article. "No One Murdered Because of This Image". I'm not going to link to it because it's a family friendly forum. Don't Google it while you're at work. It involves the major religious figures of Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism engaged in a gay orgy with one another. The article then talks about how the religious people who saw the drawing shook their heads in disgust, and then went on with their day, but no bomb threats were made and the artist who drew it went home without a single death threat made against him.

I'm half surprised this event wasn't a combination "Mohammed Drawing Contest and Gun Show". It almost seems like it was a trap, with the event organizers hoping they were going to get a chance to shoot Muslims. I can't say I feel any real kinship with a group of people who intentionally insult the religion of several hundred million people, but drawing mean pictures is way waaaay less wrong than trying to murder people over it.

[Mel]

" "No One Murdered Because of This Image". " I have that pic from another forum. You're right it's not work or family friendly. Puts a new spin on Interfaith cooperation.

[kelroy55]

The host of the Texas "Draw Muhammad' contest that ended with police killing two armed gunman outside called for more, similar events as a defense of free speech.

Pamela Geller, executive director of the American Freedom Defense Initiative, told NBC News that "we should be holding these meetings every month."

"We absolutely must have other events like this to stand up for free speech...," Geller said. "I will not abridge my freedoms so as not to offend savages."

Geller called the drawings of the Muslim prophet "political critique."

"I do believe western civilization is superior," she said

And she defended the views of Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who spoke at Sunday's event, saying he "shouldn't have to be worried about being slaughtered for his opinion."

"There is a problem in Islam," she said. "The problem is we can't talk about it."

Alia Salem, the executive director of the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said she fully supports the First Amendment, but "we must ask ourselves, at what point does free speech become hate speech?"

At a Monday afternoon news conference, Salem condemned the actions of the gunmen saying the attack was "not done in my name or in the name of millions of law abiding Muslims."

She said the Muslim community in northern Texas had made a collective decision not to protest the "Draw Muhammad" event.

"We just didn't want to give her the time of day. … We didn't want her to get more publicity than really what she deserved," said Khalid Y. Hamideh, an attorney who represents Muslim organizations in Texas.

"The actions of the criminals who tried to shoot up the place do not represent Islam or the prophet of Islam," Hamideh said. "These fringe groups do not represent what this country stands for," he said, referring to the American Freedom Defense Initiative and the gunmen.

Among the problems Geller cited was that the daily Muslim prayers curse Christians and Jews in Arabic.

Zead Ramadan, the chair of the New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, called Geller's assertion "absolutely asinine."

He said the daily prayer, the Salat, calls for God to "bring peace upon and bless the children of Abraham," which, according to Biblical tradition, includes Christians and Jews.

He accused Geller of not translating but fabricating.

"She likes to cause chaos and hatred and have people die," Ramadan said. "She's hiding behind the skirts of our liberties.

"She lies and then says, 'I have the right to lie'"

Terming herself a "human rights activist," Geller blasted the Southern Poverty Law Center as a "radical leftist organization" that has never condemned a jihadist, genocidal group.

"That's just a lie," countered Heidi Beirich, director of the SPLC's Intelligence Project, who said the organization has Been listing anti-Semitic and anti-gay mosques on its site since 2010.

And, Beirich said, the organization devoted an entire publication to studying American jihadis.

"We're equal opportunity," she said.