Speak up when someone carries guns, urges violence to make statement

When Shakespeare wrote, "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers," it was a quip by a murderous villain designed to elicit a laugh about creating an ideal world in "Henry VI."

But at a recent event where I spoke, listeners vented their hostility by bashing politicians. When someone said, "Let's kill all the politicians," it wasn't amusing, clever or Shakespearean.

Yet I didn't call the man out on it. And I'm ashamed I didn't make it clear his comment, no matter how it was meant, offended me.

Genocide is not funny.

But disdain for politicians seems to be so commonplace that people feel free to say anything, no matter how hateful, and pass it off as "political discourse."

Advocating genocide is not political discourse. Carrying guns to presidential speeches about health care is not political discourse; it's political theater and a scare tactic. Urging the murder of three judges is neither political discourse nor political theater.

In today's world, some think it's OK to scream in fury at elected officials, especially when their real goal is to get television face time.

Toting an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle on your back and a 9 mm pistol on your hip to protest a presidential speech, as a man did in Phoenix on Monday, is more political theater, especially because an organizer said Phoenix police were told ahead of time that the gun-toter would be there.

The Arizona Republic identified the man as "Chris." The newspaper's online poll showed that 59 percent of those who responded opposed taking guns to political events because it creates an environment of fear, while 32 percent thought it was just fine to exercise one's Second Amendment rights.

What if "Chris" had been Seung-Hui Cho? Or Eric Harris? Or Dylan Klebold?

Perhaps you've forgotten their names. Cho is the Virginia Tech shooter who killed 32 students and teachers on April 16, 2007, before killing himself. Harris and Klebold were the shooters in the Columbine High School massacre. They killed 12 students and one teacher on April 20, 1999, before killing themselves.

How would you have felt about any of those three exercising their constitutional and legal rights by packing at a political rally? If you were giving a speech and saw someone walk in toting one or two guns, would you assume it was a political statement or wonder if this was about to become massacre central?

How would you know if the gun bearer was sane or insane?

Handguns were the impetus for shock blogger Hal Turner's indictment on charges of threatening three federal judges in June. Turner wrote the appellate judges "deserve to be killed" for upholding Chicago's ban on handguns. Then the New Jersey man went further, providing photos, work addresses and phone numbers on his Web site. He wrote that he would provide maps and home addresses later.

His commentary wasn't just a passing reference. He wrote: "Let me be the first to say this plainly: These Judges deserve to be killed. Their blood will replenish the tree of liberty. A small price to pay to assure freedom for millions."

Turner went on to refer to the murder of a judge's mother and husband, writing: "Apparently, the 7th U.S. Circuit court didn't get the hint after those killings. It appears another lesson is needed."

And he continued: "These Judges deserve to be made such an example of as to send a message to the entire judiciary: Obey the Constitution or die."

A jury will decide whether Turner is guilty of threatening to assault or murder a U.S. judge with intent to retaliate against a judge performing official duties.

His attorney argues that the First Amendment protects Turner. We'll wait to see if urging the murder of specific people qualifies as "uninhibited, robust, and wide-open" debate on public issues, which is protected free speech, or if it's more like yelling fire in a theater and creating a panic, which is not.

Until then, I question why listeners remain silent when people talk about killing politicians or judges? In my case, I didn't want to be rude. And frankly, I was stunned.

But it's time to speak out against those who advocate genocide, encourage murder or tote guns at political speeches and town hall meetings. Our silence seems too much like tacit agreement.

Jane Ann Morrison's column appears Monday, Thursday and Saturday. E-mail her at Jane@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0275. She also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/morrison.