Salon: The United States is scarier than the Islamic State

[loyalsister]

28. We're doing it "our" way- legally

and with constitutional protection. I'm not advocating removing that protection, but rejecting any sense of social resposibility for terrorizing people on that basis enables the most hateful expressions and actions to thrive and increase. Likewise, just because we have a history of book burning does not justify textbooks full of lies, and the anti-intellectualism that denies any validity of gray areas.

The faulty 2nd amendment interpretation that is now so embedded in our culture that few people are outraged when someone is shot based on fear- even if they are unarmed and walking away, and especially if the shooter works for the government.

Any text can be interpreted in ways that have negative consequences.
Freedom of speech is understood by many as freedom to greatly offend and even terrorize people without social responsibility. People reject the possibility of inciteful speech on that premise and hate festers into motivation and action. Especially if it is based in religion.

But, we were founded on religious freedom and we're the greatest country in the world because of that AND because we don't stone or behead people.