I realize that to many here, this is an academic issue. You find it amusing to play lawyer with the teacher's FB post, analyzing it literally to the point of disingenuousness and ignoring any suggestion that words may have contexts or consequences.
But to some of us, the equating of ourselves, our friends and our families to murderers is not just an abstract question of constitutional entitlement, it is an all too concrete matter of physical danger and even life and death.
I've been compared to a murderer for almost a half-century now, during which time I've never carried a weapon nor even raised my hand in anger. I'm sick of that $hit!
I find this whole thing to be quite the opposite of amusing. I do not like to see persecution of anyone, no matter how much I might dislike their views, or calls to violate the rights granted by the constitution in the name of vengeance for perceived slights or vague notions that someone's words 'might possibly' lead to some other person doing 'something'.
You make some very uncharacteristically mean-spirited accusations here, ones that rely on assumptions about the backgrounds, motives & dispositions of those who do not agree with you. How is that any different from what the Christian Fundamentalists are doing?
FYI, I am bi - I may be a married father, but that does not mean that I am straight. I am considered by the psych field & the public to be a 'sexual deviant' because I have an interest in D/s & because my wife & I have dabbled a bit with having an additional person in our bedroom. I am also the proud descendant of a people just as hated, feared & persecuted throughout history, all the way up to today - the Romani (gypsies, for those not familiar), and am all too familiar with how lethal words of hate can be, and what it is to have ones basic nature associated with criminality - after all, it's still a widely held belief in Europe that 'all gypsies are criminals, bad from birth'.
But I am also a firm believer in Justice, true Freedom for all, and moderation of emotional reactions via reason & ethics. The knee-jerk reactions to what this man posted are very disturbing to me, as this is just the type of behavior that has been used against the LGBT community (and many others) in the past. Cherry-picking words out of context to make someone look like a monster, claims with no proof about what his future actions may be...and now character assassination against any who defend the person's rights...it's like some have taken a page from the Fundamentalist Handbook.
I'm saddened by the direction this discussion has taken, and will now withdraw myself from it.
All JMO