Jon Ritzheimer is a former Marine. He often wears a shirt reading “F*ck Islam” while standing beside busy streets as he waves our American flag. And this evening he will take on Radical Islam. How? By staging an armed, Draw Muhammad Cartoon Contest outside the Phoenix Islamic Community Center where the two now-deceased radical jihadist SOB’s who tried to assassinate Pamela Geller and dozens of her guests in Garland, Texas were former members. The event’s FaceBook page, where hundreds say they will attend, offers posts from all over the spectrum. And yeah, some are cringe-worthy. A sample:

• Andre Junior Lachapelle: I sincerely wish I was in Arizona right now. This initiative is an example to follow in every free occidental country. Give those bastards hell!
• Holly Guinan: I *SO* hope you’ll be gunned down at your inciteful event! Blood on the streets, yay! I love it when zealots die for their beliefs. FreeeeeeDUMB! I think I’ll show up with images of Jesus and Mary in incestuous relations like our white, Christian boy Duggar! Because, you know: FREEEEEEEEEdumb! *This even sponsored by The Last Gasp of marginalized white men. “We’re not losers, we’ve got our guns to keep us feeling privileged.”
• Skylar Ambrosini: Right there with you guys! Will I be seeing you at Tuesday’s Klan rally as well?

You can read through the rest here.

Here’s Mr. Ritzheimer on (seemingly anti free-speech) CNN, explaining his position:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDc_6nioI7o

Last time I checked, the only folks bringing firearms into mosques were Islamic terrorists.

Meanwhile, commenters with Middle Eastern-sounding names offer veiled threats—and, sure, I’m well aware they could also just be a bunch of trolling Leftist agitators. But they could also be ISIS sympathizers—and now, as expected, blatant death threats:

#ISIS fighter Junaid Hussain, linked to #garlandshooting urges attack on Jon Ritzheimer at “Draw Muhammad” contest tomorrow & listed address

— Rita Katz (@Rita_Katz) May 28, 2015

That Twitter account is now “suspended.”

And of course, the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) is doing what CAIR does: Obfuscating and attempting to silence speech.

VIDEO: City Prepares for Anti-Islam Demonstration http://t.co/wnEGamv6Qn

— CAIR National (@CAIRNational) May 29, 2015

To the contrary, and to their credit, the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD), who insists it supports free speech, has called for calm, albeit it in a less than staunchly-free-speech manner. You can read their full statement here.

I’ll be frank: When I first heard about this event, I had mixed feelings. I thought to myself, “This is stupid.” Heck, even Mr. Ritzheimer admits it’s stupid. From his event page:

Jon Ritzheimer: This is the America that you who are against me want. You condone threats made to me and my family over a stupid cartoon. I have made no threats. I am simply bringing to light that our freedom of speech is under attack and this proves my case. I don’t think anyone should have to go into hiding for doing anything peaceful. This is not an Anti Islam Rally. This is a Pro Freedom of Speech Rally so don’t let the media twist it. I admit that what I am doing is stupid but so is stomping on the American flag and I support their rights and freedom to do so. That’s what’s supposed to make our country great. I will be at the Rally for a short time only because my address has been posted and my family has been threatened. That should sadden any true American. I hope our law makers can earn their paychecks and come up with better legislation that reinforces our first amendment. Again, I am hoping peace can be maintained between all the parties planning to attend tomorrow. President Obama said “The future must not belong to those who insult Islam.” I am asking him to change his statement to The future must belong to those who have the FREEDOM to insult Islam if they want.” For those of you who are in support of this Rally, I thank you and I hope none of you have to endure what I am going through over this stupid rally.

And that’s the very reason it should proceed as planned.

I’m an unwavering supporter of the First Amendment, good, bad, or ugly. And if I’m going to support the right of the likes of the Westboro Baptist cretins to spew their hatred, then I must also support an event like the Draw Muhammad gathering planned for tonight.

Muslims, and others who are criticizing Jon Ritzheimer and all those who support him, should not be angry with him; they should be grateful. Why? Because no one in this country is jailed for cursing Jesus. No one in this country is jailed for criticizing its government. And no one—at least not yet—has been jailed for drawing, mocking, or spitting on an image of Mohammad. This is America. And her beauty lies in the freedoms she guarantees us all. Citizens of foreign nations—at least the ones coming here the right way—come to this great nation for a reason. And religious freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, the right to unlimited self-defense, are just some of those reasons.

Sharia Law fundamentally conflicts with our Constitution; it fundamentally conflicts with everything that America is. And Sharia Law cannot win. And that’s why we need more Draw Muhammad events.