Gov. Abbott declines to second-guess Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest

Police tape surrounds a vehicle searched by authorities, Monday, May 4, 2015, in Phoenix, believed to belong to one of two gunmen who were shot and killed the night before outside a venue hosting an exhibit about the Prophet Muhammad in suburban Dallas. Garland, Texas, police officer Joe Harn says the men had opened fire with assault rifles, and that one officer had fatally shot both gunmen. less Police tape surrounds a vehicle searched by authorities, Monday, May 4, 2015, in Phoenix, believed to belong to one of two gunmen who were shot and killed the night before outside a venue hosting an exhibit ... more Photo: Ross D. Franklin, Associated Press Photo: Ross D. Franklin, Associated Press Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close Gov. Abbott declines to second-guess Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

AUSTIN – Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday declined to second-guess the propriety of a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest that ended in two men being killed after they fired on a security officer outside the Garland event.

"We live in a country where the First Amendment is one of the paramount promises of this nation and that provides people the ability to speak out, to say what they want. Just as people draw cartoons mocking the governor, people may draw cartoons mocking others," Abbott said when asked about the matter after speaking at a prayer breakfast.

Drawings of the Prophet Muhammad widely are considered offensive by believers in Islam. Asked whether there might be a different take among some people if there had been a similar event about Jesus Christ, Abbott said Jesus was mocked before his death and Christians are mocked today.

"Let's kind of go back in history, if you don't mind, and think of Jesus' final days. He was one of the most mocked men in the world – mocked and ridiculed and spit upon. So part of what Jesus is all about is showing how person is mocked but is elevated to being a savior," said Abbott, who is Catholic.

"And so I think that in America, people are free to express themselves about any kind of figure, including religious figures. And people have mocked Christians. We've seen that in particular over the past few years, and what Christians believe is that we need to protect our religious liberties but that doesn't mean engaging in gun battle to do so," he said.

Abbott said Monday morning that the last information he had about the Garland accident was from midnight but that he would be getting more details. His spokesman, Matt Hirsch, soon afterward posted a photo of Abbott on the telephone saying that he spoke to the Garland mayor "to offer any resources" and to "thank officers for quick response."

The men who were killed Sunday had shot at a security officer outside the contest, according to the city of Garland. The city said that prompted police to shoot and kill the two men. The contest was hosted by the American Freedom Defense Initiative.

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