Last night, the Associated Press tweeted an article about Pamela Geller, organizer of the Garland, TX "Draw Muhammad" contest that nearly resulted in her death, with a rather, shall-we-say, victim-blaming headline.
Pamela Geller says she has no regrets about Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest that ended in 2 deaths: http://t.co/3QabvaBs4w
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 8, 2015This is a rather unusual description of what actually happened at the event. Two armed men attempted to attack Geller and the other attendees of the event, but they were shot dead by armed guards before they could, you know, murder people. Shucks.
Let's mourn appropriately with the world's smallest violin.
Anyhow.
The exhibit didn't "result in deaths." These were not accidental shootings or deaths caused by some sort of tragedy. Nobody goes to an art exhibit expecting to be shot. The people who were killed were jihadis intent on carrying out a fatwa on Geller. Geller should not have to say she "regrets" anything--the rational or expected response to a controversial exhibit is not the attempted mass murder of everyone in attendance.
The AP's attempt to clarify the tweet blaming someone who was almost murdered for nearly being murdered was...just as bad.
Pamela Geller says she has no regrets about Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest that ended in 2 deaths: http://t.co/3QabvaBs4w
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 8, 2015
Again, it didn't "end in gunfire." It "ended with two people storming the exhibit with guns who then met their demise at the hands of armed security." A very easy way to avoid being shot by armed security is to not try to shoot everyone attending an event. Simple as pie!
This is the United States of America. Hosting a controversial art exhibit is not a justification for violence. Nobody shot up Andres Serrano for his (government-funded) picture of a crucifix submerged in a jar of urine. Nobody attempted to harm Chris Ofili for his picture The Holy Virgin Mary, which portrayed a picture of the Virgin Mary covered in pornographic images and elephant dung. Blasphemy of all kinds is protected by the Constitution, like it or not. Was Geller purposefully inflammatory? Yes, probably. So were Serrano and Ofili. That doesn't mean someone should try to kill any of them.
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