Two men were shot to death yesterday and at least one other was reportedly on the gunman's hit list before he was apprehended by police:
A man carrying grudges against several people set off on a shooting spree Friday morning, authorities said, killing an abortion protester outside a high school because he didn't like the activist holding a sign with graphic images ... Police charged Harlan James Drake, 33, with first-degree murder.
While all murders are gruesome, tragic affairs, shooting a demonstrator on, of all days, the anniversary of 9-11 is especially painful for a nation that cherishes life and liberty. Free speech means what it says, doesn't matter if the speaker is a union worker picketing an employer or a white supremacist in full Klan regalia. The whole point behind freedom of speech is moot if it only applies to beliefs everyone agrees with and no one finds offensive.
The victim, a retired autoworker named James Pouillon, was executed for lawfully exercising his Constitutional Right of Free Speech. He was killed for holding a sign of protest, the chilling implication is clear: wave the 'wrong' sign or say the 'wrong' thing, and you might be next. That's terrorism, pure and simple, and this man's grieving family and friends are every bit as deserving of our nation's sympathy and condolences as the victims of Oklahoma City or the 911 attacks.