That a member of the United States Senate would say this:
Sen. Lindsey Graham said Congress might need to explore the need to limit some forms of freedom of speech, in light of Tennessee pastor Terry Jones’ Quran burning, and how such actions result in enabling U.S. enemies.
“I wish we could find a way to hold people accountable. Free speech is a great idea, but we’re in a war,” Graham told CBS’ Bob Schieffer on “Face the Nation” Sunday.
“A great idea’ eh? Actually its the law of the land, moron.
I find what Graham said disturbing for a whole host of reasons. The problem is not that America has wacko preachers, who are so f*cked in the head they think burning Korans and holding mock trials of Mohammed to be the answer to what ails us-the problem is that a great number of Afghan people are so f*cked in the head that they have to riot and kill people ostensibly for the purpose of showing how upset they are about it. That’s who needs to be looked at-and more importantly why we still feel some sort of an obligation to lift a finger to defend such people, in an ongoing war that is never going to end.
At a time we think we are spending too much money-and we could save a great deal of money by leaving them to their Godforsaken country and their apostate religion.
Koran burning is obviously a disgusting act of disrespect and stupidity. But that very kind of act is what the First Amendment is designed to protect. I know because it has to be that way or the first amendment has no real meaning. The Supreme Court just reaffirmed that interpretation in the Phelps case-and as reprehensible as Fred Phelps is, the court had no choice but to rule as they did.
And finally, don’t forget that history is replete with authoritarian moves that started as “wartime security measures.” Since this war is never going to end- liberties taken away by wartime are permanently taken away.
(Shakes head in disbelief.)