Under my plan, all Floridians will have permission to shoot FBI, IRS, ATF and all other feds on sight! Let freedom ring!

This is the actual Twitter statement by Luis Miguel, a GOP candidate for a Florida Legislature House seat. Yes, he was banned from Twitter, but not from running for public office.

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room101 · 51-55, M

Yet another reason why I don't understand the American political system. Free speech is all well and good but, come on people, actively encouraging violence and hatred has zero place in any civilised society.

windinhishair · 61-69, M

@room101 It is abhorrent and unfortunately typical of one of our two parties.

SatyrService · M

@room101 1) it is already settled law, that calls for violence are not protected speech under the amendments
20 there has been 30 years of rhetoric, On talk radio and later the net, whose purpose it to disconnect the citizenry from the authority of law. this is in service to a long slow power grab by the New Hard Right.
The American Political system is BROKEN, and special interests want to keep it that way

room101 · 51-55, M

@SatyrService I understand that there are laws which effectively distinguish between 1st A rights and hate speech etc. However, from the outside looking in, it seems like they are never enforced or very difficult to enforce.

For example, I can confidently say that, in the UK, trump would have been arrested and charged with inciting racial hatred and violence after his first campaign rallies back in 2015. In the US he got the top job in the land. I'm sorry but, having grown up in the UK and being a European citizen, I just don't get it.

BackyardShaman · 61-69, M

I’m in the USA don’t feel bad, we don’t get it either. @room101

luv2fly352 · 70-79, M

@room101 You're not alone my friend; I don't get it either.