Armed Bikers Plan to Draw Cartoons of Mohammed Outside a Mosque in Arizona

Foreign Policy ^ | 5/28/15 | David Francis

[markomalley]

An armed biker gang. Cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. A mosque in Arizona. What could possibly go wrong?

We’ll find out Friday, when two organizers — Jon Ritzheimer and Flash Nelson — host what’s being billed as a peaceful demonstration outside the Islamic Community Center in Phoenix. It’s the former site of worship for Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi, who were killed after opening fire outside a May 3 contest featuring cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in suburban Dallas. Simpson had no direct link to the Islamic State but was sympathetic to its cause. Many Muslims consider depictions of Mohammed blasphemous.

Just like the cartoon contest outside Dallas, this event, scheduled for 6:15 p.m. Friday, appears to welcome controversy. In a Facebook invite, the planners urge attendees to take full advantage of their Second Amendment right to carry weapons. So far, 163 people have RSVP’d.

Here’s the Facebook post in full, verbatim:

[ansel12]

I know, I’m in a club, and have been for almost 25 years.

I don’t know why you won’t answer my question, Who?

What is the club that you said is making a good PR move?

[kjam22]

Are they drawing the cartoons with tattoo ink?

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Whatever clubs are sponsoring the event. I’m not from there so I don’t know. It is obviously a PR event freedom of speech thing. One of the members has said as much. Did this club just descend from the sky, clubs are ususall pretty small, so it took several clubs to pull this off. There you go.

[ansel12]

It might just be a sincere act of it’s own, it doesn’t have to be a PR stunt to promote a particular club, or anyone, or anything, except to make a free speech statement.

[Tax-chick]

I hope the planners are reading all these good suggestions.

[mongo141]

“I would love to see a couple of BBQ trailers show up and start cooking in front of the mosque..”
*******************************
Yep, Plenty of pork and the fixing's.

[Salamander]

Thank you!

:)

[freepersup]

You are very welcome. My brother is in PHX. I tipped him off to the rally/protest/cartoon drawing contest. He has a HD bike and a Glock handgun at his disposal. I told him to go support this event. I said it was a "put your money where your mouth is" situation. No other way to describe it. I have not heard back from him. I hope he goes. I'm in the midwest currently. I spend the winters with him. I would like to think that I would attend this event if out there, regardless of the fact that I am not an owner of a bike.

AZ has open and concealed carry. No permits or training required. It's a Constitutional right/State... in so far as the right to carry- unencumbered by any present State laws of AZ.

[RandallFlagg]

Years ago, I made a bumper sticker similar to that:

[Salamander]

LOL

[Salamander]

Wish I could afford to move there.