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5/8/15, "Boca Event Featuring Anti-Muslim Speaker Canceled for Safety Reasons," Broward New Times, Chris Joseph
"Not wanting to court danger, the Boca West Country Club has refused to
host the Palm Beach Republican Party's "Lobsterfest" dinner that
advertised controversial Islamic critic Geert Wilders as the keynote
speaker. Geert was part of the Garland, Texas, cartoon contest that
invited participants to draw the Prophet Muhammad. Islamic law prohibits
any image of the prophet to ward off idol worship.
However, extremists have violently attacked or threatened with death
anyone who has published a drawing or depiction of Muhammad over the
years. The belief was what prompted extremists to attack the
headquarters of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, where 12 staffers were gunned down.
Last
week in Texas, in an attempt to fly directly in the face of that law,"...
[Ed. note: What "law?" There's no law in Texas or the US about such drawings. In the US you can smear the Virgin Mary in feces and you'll be praised by the NY Times.]
(continuing): "organizers put together a $10,000 Muhammad cartoon contest. The contest
drew the attention of two gunmen who tried to kill participants with
assault rifles. Police were able to thwart the attack and shot and killed the suspects. Not long after, ISIS announced that it was responsible for the attack.
As New Times reported on Thursday,
Geert, a Dutch politician and known Islamic critic, was a key
participant in the contest. Geert has been outspoken against the Qur'an,
liking it to Mein Kampf and trying to have it banned in the
Netherlands. His stance and beliefs have made him popular with the
far-right, particularly in the United States. It's also made him a
target of Islamic extremists.
In his speech in Texas, Geert continued his tirade on Islam.
And the attention caught the eye of the Palm Beach County Republican
Party, which scheduled an August $125-a-plate dinner featuring him as
keynote speaker.
Supporters of the Texas contest have lauded Geert
and contest organizer Pamela Geller as champions of free speech, while
critics say they incite anti-Muslim sentiments.
On Wednesday
night, Geller appeared on Fox News' Sean Hannity's show and faced off
with an extremist Muslim cleric who said Geller should be put on trial.
Hannity screamed at the cleric that he wants to kill Geller. The segment
went on for ten minutes with all parties shouting at each other.
It's this kind of rhetoric, coupled with the events in Garland, that have moved the event to be canceled.
Boca
West Country Club's chairman of the board, Bob Locke, said they didn't
know who Geert was before accepting the reservation to host the event.
But once they realized who Geert is and about his ties with the Muhammad
drawing contest, the country club cited safety reasons for the
cancellation.
“At the time the reservation for the dinner was
made, no one in management or in the catering department at Boca West
knew the identity of the keynote speaker,” he said per the Palm Beach Post.
“Due to potential safety concerns associated with Mr. Wilders’
appearance, we have elected to cancel the reservation for this private
event.”
The Palm Beach Republican Party has yet to make a statement or announce if the event will be rescheduled at another venue." via Lucianne
.
==============================
.
Comment: "Safety concerns" were addressed at the Garland, Texas event: "As
part of its contract with the district, the American Freedom Defense
Initiative has paid $10,000 for extra security.... That cost doesn’t include private security the group is employing."...The New Times article doesn't say whether the Florida meeting had planned extra security.
=====================
4/27/15, "Islam debate returns to Garland ISD’s Culwell Center with Muhammad art event," Dallas Morning News, by Ray Leszcynski
===================
5/7/15, "(NY) Times Editors Hate Geller’s ‘Hate Speech’ and Love Others’ ‘Free Speech’," NY Observer, The Editors
.
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