Oh boy, another "Draw Mohammed" contest, this one in Phoenix

[RussBLib]

I don't see Pam Geller's name attached to this, but who knows? Unlike the one in Dallas at a Convention Center, they are going to do the one in Phoenix right outside a Phoenix mosque. Brilliant, eh? This particular poking at the hornet's nest is set for Friday evening. I wonder if the participants will consider themselves to be "good Christians?" And how many atheists do you think would participate?

a few snips

Hundreds of people are expected at a rally outside of a Phoenix mosque Friday evening that will include a controversial "Muhammad cartoon contest" — an event that organizers say is inspired by a similar competition in suburban Dallas that turned deadly.

But the organizer of "Freedom of Speech Rally Round II," Jon Ritzheimer, insists that the protest outside the Islamic Community Center is meant to be peaceful.

"I don't condone any threats being made to the mosque," Ritzheimer told NBC affiliate KPNX. A Facebook page for Friday's event says it's "in response to the recent attack in Texas where 2 armed terrorist (sic), with ties to ISIS, attempted Jihad."

"I'm a Marine, and I'm far from politically correct," Ritzheimer told the station. "I'm outspoken, and I've just had it."

Usama Shami, president of the community center, said Thursday that he respects people's right to free speech and to gather outside of the mosque. "Everybody has the right to be a bigot," he told KPNX. "Everybody has the right to be racist."

The protesters, he added, are "not looking for an intellectual conversation. They are looking to stir up controversy. We are not going to be a part of it."

Original.

[PeaceNikki]

1. I saw that. I do hope the violent nutbags start away.

[trotsky]

2. LOL whatever.

I don't care how rude, assholish, dickish, whatever you want to label this stunt... it will NEVER, EVER, FUCKING EVER approach the level of outrage we SHOULD have for those would kill another human being for doing it!

The assholes who think people who draw a picture deserve death for provoking someone can go fuck themselves.

[RussBLib]

3. I got an email saying Ritzheimer was an atheist

The story on Raw Story here makes no such claim. I'm rather skeptical. That story paints him to be somewhat of an idiot, which would not be surprising.

[Warpy]

4. "Hey, maybe we can get a couple of Muslims killed, too!"

You know that's what they're hoping for.One of these days, the person who gets killed will be the off duty cop they hired to guard their rotten asses.

Doing it at a mosque is like neo Nazis holding a rally at a synagogue. It's not illegal, it's just insulting and dangerously stupid.

[FiveGoodMen]

5. Mixed feelings on this

I would NOT like to hang out with the people who are behind this and I sure don't support THEIR religion.

I also think there's been enough shit-stirring for a good long while.

Still, if the world creates a backlash against those who think they can tell us all what to say, write, draw, wear, you name it, well that may not be ALL bad.

[AlbertCat]

8. I say put all the violent religious nutters under the dome...

..... and let them sort it out among themselves while we finish our piña coladas.

[RussBLib]

6. I have now read four different stories from different news orgs about this event

...and in none of them does Ritzheimer describe himself as an atheist. I am not saying that an atheist would never do something like Ritzheimer is planning, but I think it is less likely that an atheist would do this than someone steeped in a faith other than Islam.

I just think it's odd that the headlines often read, "Atheist Jon Ritzheimer....." doing this or doing that, but nowhere do they back up the assertion of his being a self-described atheist. Even his Facebook page says nothing about his being an atheist.

As an atheist, I would personally never do such a thing, but I respect the broad spectrum of thought among atheists. I do think it's particularly dick-ish, however.

[beam me up scottie]

7. This is the same mosque the Texas gunmen attended.

And this is the second event this guy has held there, apparently the first one didn't get enough attention so this time he's inviting armed bikers to attend.

The muslims should take a page out of lgbt people's playbook and respond with humour: