This is possibly the most irresponsible thing I’ve ever heard public officials say:

Speaking on their behalf, Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman said law enforcement must provide security if the university requests it, “regardless of how we feel about an unrepentant terrorist.”

However, he called MU’s decision to invite Ayers “a remarkably irresponsible choice” and urged the university to consider alternatives, such as remote video, “which would provide a forum without the public safety risks or costs.”

State Rep. John Bear, who was informed of the security plan by a local police officer, also teed off on the university. He said he shared the plan with the Lancaster County House Republicans and they also were “appalled.” …

<snip>

“I just think that it’s absolutely wrong for the university to use public funds,” said Bear. “The guy’s a known terrorist. Using anti-terrorism funds to protect a known terrorist is irresponsible.”

Stedman said, “Especially in these economic times, I believe it is unthinkable that any taxpayer money should be spent on a situation entirely created by choice, and I believe the university should pay for all costs.”

Notice how the District Attorney of Lancaster County and a state representative imply that IF there is any violence when Ayers speaks, the responsibility for that violence lies NOT with the person who commits the violence - but with the university, and with Ayers himself.

And it absolutely leads to the question - if some deranged right-winger takes a potshot at Ayers - Does Stedman prosecute him?

Does Bear get up and proclaim him a patriotic American who must go free?

Is that the road these gentlemen want to go down? Sure seems like it.

Yeah - it is law enforcement’s job to provide protection regardless of what they feel, personally, about the person they’re protecting. Or maybe these two fine gentlemen think the cops should just mete out punishment on the street, no need for expensive courts that use “public funds” in “these economic times.”

Tell you what - Ayers has got to come now. This is going to be a national event. And if the passions boil over - and if violence happens, as I think is possible; Stedman and Bear here fan the flames - then that is obvious going to be a global story. And the spotlight shall shine on our grand little community, a place where top local officials will say that they were in favor of censorship, and that any violence committed was righteous violence, certainly understandable, and that Ayers and the university bear the entirety of the blame.

And the world will say: What is wrong with these people?

Let the record show, some of us are already asking the question.

Update: A bud puts it all in perspective:

So apparently some people are entitled to the protection of the law, while others are not.

Nice to know.