We posted the following question on The Wylie News social media page: Garland ISD is evaluating its rental policy for the Culwell Center, the site of last Sunday’s shooting that resulted in the deaths of Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi of Phoenix.

Do you think the district should put restrictions on potential rentals based on the type of event that would be held?

Here’s what was said:

• Kathy Nelson Henson HECK YES!!! Especially if it could cause violence, terrorist attacks, etc…even protests!!!!
• Jeanne Pepe Perry Yes. I care about our community’s safety and security and events that could potentially provoke violence, should not be held anywhere near our children’s schools.
• Wil Nix No, we can’t keep giving up our rights!
• Sandra Davis Absolutely
• Kathy Nelson Henson Hey I’m all about freedom of speech, right to bear arms,etc…but this is a school district building!! There are so many other places to choose from. I guess I should have stated this in my comment as well.
• Debi Cope Borland Absolutely. Both of those two events were “just asking for trouble”. There needs to be better guidelines.
• Jeanne Pepe Perry What if the gunmen would have waited until the next day when students were scheduled to be taking a test there and massacered? What would you say then?!?!
• Angie Peden Tibboel I say yes. Better safe then sorry.
• Amber Rice Actually, freedom of speech doesn’t excuse an organization or individual for an event that could incite violence. The organizer of this event has admitted that she KNEW an attack was likely and spent an additional $30,000 on security because she EXPECTED something to happen.
• Amber Rice The gunmen travelled to Garland because of this event. If the event had not been held, there wouldn’t have been an attack.
• McKenna Tilton Absolutely. Yes, freedom of speech is important, but should we also tell the students of Garland ISD that freedom of speech is more important than respect? How would Islamic students & families of Garland feel? We also have religious freedom in the United States. Yes, freedom of speech allows citizens to say anything they want, but if that ends up being persecution or mockery of a religion, doesn’t that infringe upon someone’s religious freedom? Yes, they can still believe whatever they want, but they will feel bound & restricted in doing so. Does that sound free? You can speak freely in the United States, but school & government institutions should not support events that exclusively persecute or mock a religion.
• Katrina Pierson You all realize that no matter what GISD does to its policy, the terrorists are here and they want you all dead. Whether its going to Firewheel mall, or to the movie theater, you can’t hide from evil. So, why on Earth would you give up your freedom in the process?
• Patsy J Lander The reason those 2 bumbling terrorist’s were here was for revenge on the group that rented the building. Had that group, not advertised their hate for another religion, they wouldn’t even know where Garland was, much less care! When your right to free speech interferes with the safety of entire city and it’s first responder’s, then it’s time to start restricting where they can hold their hate rally’s! I think all the cost of that entire fiasco be billed to the group that rented the building. They obviously have plenty of money!
• Melissa Kenfield How serious are we about freedom of speech? The American Freedom Defense Initiative was trying to make a statement – not just “let’s offend some Muslims” – saying that we are a nation built on freedom to say what we want. Can the school district, as a governmental entity, restrict freedom of speech? It seems to me that we need to either allow all rentals, as ugly as they may be, or none at all. Who would you want making those decisions about who can be heard and who can’t?
• Benjamin Lyons The gay culture offends Muslims so I guess the gay crowd should just stop demanding equal rights??? I guess anything that offends Christians should also be stopped but I don’t hear any talk of that. You cowards don’t deserve freedom
• Benjamin Lyons It is a sad day when people who did nothing but draw cartoons are despised more than people who will kill over cartoons
• Daryl Morgeson Yes they should, The community owns the facility and should be allowed to say who to rent to.
• Alice Jones So now they are going to discriminate based on event?

I mean it is a business and they can refuse to rent to whomever they like. But seems crazy because the event was not in the wrong. The shooters were.

I should say that I am not Muslim and do not believe as they do; but I do believe in the freedoms we have in America.

• Marie Coe Lacey Well duh. Finally. This is not what GISD taxpayers paid exorbitant taxes for.
• Beth Harrison Only if it prohibits muslims from renting it because that is why this all started to begin with. A tax paid for facility allowed muslims to spew their crap and selectively deny ticket holders entry because they weren’t muslim. I call BS!
• Mike Rice This event is no more of a demonstration of free speech than screaming “fire” would be in a crowded theater. The event in Garland was intended to incite anger from a specific group of people. The event organizers had a feeling that violence like this would take place and they spent an exorbitant amount of money for additional security. They were motivated to hold their event, in this venue, out of retaliation and anger. This is not a matter of free speech, this is a question of how long will a group be allowed to incite violence before they are charged for the violence they created. http://www.cnn.com/…/mohammed-drawing…/index.html