Editorial: No threat to free speech here

The Island Now

We’ll get right to the point. No matter how much we respect the Synagogue of Great Neck and the Chabad of Great Neck, we think the congregations should be ashamed that Pam Geller was invited to speak in their temples.

This is not a question of free speech. These temples have the constitutional right to invite anyone to speak and no one has questioned that right. But when they invited a flame-throwing hatemonger to speak they violated a higher law.

Geller, who grew up in Hewlett Harbor before moving to the Upper Eastside of Manhattan, spoke on Sunday, April 14, at the Chabad of Great Neck after originally being invited and then disinvited to speak at the Synagogue of Great Neck.

 The temple canceled her appearance following protests by interfaith leaders and media coverage of the controversy.

 In a statement, the temple said, “As the notoriety and media exposure of the planned program this Sunday have increased, so has the legal liability and potential security exposure of our institution and it’s [sic] member families

  “In an era of heightened security concerns, it is irresponsible to jeopardize the safety of those who call Great Neck Synagogue home, especially our children, even at the risk of diverting attention from a potentially important voice in the ongoing debate.”

 Would a Neo-Nazi or a leader of the Klan also be a “potentially important voice” in some “ongoing debate?”

 We think not.

 For those not familiar with Geller, she is an author and activist who has made it clear that she hates the Islamic faith although she occasionally pretends that she is only opposed to “Islamic radicals.”

 “I am accused of being a hater and being a bigot,” Geller said, “because that is the war that we are in.”

 No, Ms. Geller, you are accused of being a bigot because of your legacy of hatred, your divisive words and actions.

 Geller whined that terrorists, liberals and the media were responsible for the opposition to her speech, and said her opponents were part of a network of radical Muslims working to both kill Americans abroad and undermine laws domestically.

 In fact no Islamic or any other group came on Sunday to protest her speech. We note that the Kings Point police, assisted by Nassau County officers, manned the entrance to the synagogue in anticipation of a counter-protest that never materialized.

 The sanctuary was packed and supporters and conservative activists were seated in chairs outside the building where they could listen to her speech (tirade).

 One of the people who came to cheer on Geller was Joan Lawlor, who was there with the Brightwaters-based Tea Party group Conservative Society for Action. After telling our reporter that “[the Muslim] religion is not tolerant,” she said that 75 percent of Muslims in the United States are trying to force Sharia law on non-Muslims.

Good thing Lawlor is tolerant.

Fran Ginter, of the Massapequa Tea Party, said the issue was freedom of speech. She criticized Islamic Center of Long Island and Nassau Human Rights commissioner Habeeb Ahmed for petitioning Great Neck Synagogue to cancel the original event.

“We were very upset that they’re not allowing us to speak freely and that the Islamic extremists are on the Nassau board of human rights,” Ginter said.

It might surprise Lawlor, Ginter and Geller that the same First Amendment that protects freedom of speech also protects freedom of religion.

Geller rose to fame in the days following 9-11 when she sought to exploit that tragedy to denounce all 1.5 billion followers of Islam.

In the wake of the massacre at the Boston Marathon, which took place just one day before the Geller speech, it is appropriate to emphasize the need for religious tolerance on all sides.

Geller is free to speak wherever she wants. The critics of her hate-filled message, including this newspaper, are free to criticize her.

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