I don’t condone the acts of violence that took place in San Francisco a month ago. Given the focus on the local F9/11 incident, I regret not having remarked on what happened to Lori Haigh sooner.

Violent attacks on freedoms of speech and expression — whether from the right or from the left — are deplorable. We are all Americans. We’re better than that.

And I agree with Baldilocks on the following:

My prediction is that, no matter how much some are reminded that free speech — and its cousin, freedom of expression — are reputed to be revered in this country, those who would quash such will make exercising that right more difficult. “Free speech for me, but not for thee.” Such incidents will increase in frequency up to the November election, perhaps beyond it, no matter who wins. [...]

Public discourse is circling the bowl and knuckleheads on both sides of the fence are making it happen. Do we on the right want SA-types to promote our causes? Do you on the left want SA-types to stand for what you believe in?

I know what it’s like to live with violence right outside the front door. If reasonable people do not want this whole country to slide down into such an abyss, we have to take a stand against those who would see it happen, no matter whose “side” they’re on.