FREE SPEECH IS OK - But not in their neighborhood!

Orthos Logos gives James Taranto (WSJ Opinion Journal) the HT for this article in the Bangor Daily News, even though I could not follow the link provided to a Taranto piece ... regardless, Paleface at OL deserves the credit for revealing this New England insight to me.

If you're a supporter of both free-speech and our men and women in uniform you'll love the whole article. Here is the lead paragraph, a real grabber considering the context (to wit New England).

Free speech clashed with free expression on a downtown street corner Saturday as artists opposed to war protested the showing of combat paintings of Marine Sgt. Michael Fay at the Farnsworth Art Museum. Sgt. Fay stood ramrod straight when confronted by the small group of protesters upset with the Farnsworth for exhibiting his paintings of combat forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. The afternoon sun reflected off the combat ribbons pinned to his green uniform, and the red chevrons on his sleeves glinted in the finish of his spit-shined shoes as Fay listened to his challengers.

When asked his reaction to the protest, Fay said that he believed "most service people would say, 'That's why we do what we do.' People have that right to express themselves in this country and I support that. Most are very pleasant, but some are mean-spirited and aggressive."

Sgt. Fay - thank you sir, for your service to and sacrifice for this great country, my family and I thank you! God bless you son!