The first amendment exists so that jerks can have their say

Terry Jones is a grade A jerk. Heedless of the fact that, when you poke an alligator with a stick, the alligator will bite, he insists on burning the Koran in the full knowledge that Muslim alligators abroad, being Bronze Age savages and thin-skinned bullies unready for civilization, will kill people, including Americans. His reckless, stupid and vile behavior, which endangers lives abroad just as poking an alligator with a stick does, should be condemned by any decent person. So I fully support Bishop Vigneron’s and others’ protest against Jones’ jerkery.

Nonetheless, Jones’ right to make an ass of himself should be protected by the full force of the law because freedom of speech ought not to be curtailed by a state made the lapdog of Muslim bullies abroad. It isn’t everyday you find the Thomas More Law Center and the ACLU on the same side of an argument, but in this case, they are–and with good reason. Making criticism of Islam illegal is one of the most vile and cowardly betrayals of our our Constitutional order. It must not stand. Not everything that is wrong and stupid should be illegal.

Al Kresta, by the way, will be discussing this on his show today.