Megyn Kelly went head-to-head Tuesday night with her guest Richard Fowler, who argued that the "Draw Muhammad" contest in Garland, Texas, where two men were shot and killed Sunday, went past the limits of free speech.
Kelly took a strong position against some critics, including her own colleague Bill O'Reilly, who say the group that organized the event "provoked" the attack by crossing a line.
O'Reilly said Tuesday, just before Kelly's program, that the American Freedom Defense Initiative "spurred a violent attack."
But Pamela Geller, president of the AFDI, responded to those who believe "hate speech should be censored," writing in a new Time piece:
"Islamic law as it’s interpreted by extremists forbids criticism of Islam, the Quran, and Muhammad. If they cannot be criticized in the United States, we are in effect accepting Islamic law as overriding the freedom of speech."
Kelly took a similar position on Tuesday, arguing that we should not have to limit our constitutional rights out of fear of being attacked. Her guest, however, sided with O'Reilly.
"Freedom of speech comes with limits," Fowler said. "This is a clear limit."
"You are totally wrong!" Kelly said.
"It is just like going into a theater and yelling out 'fire,' or going into a black church and yelling out the N-word," Fowler said.
"You are fundamentally confused and wrong," Kelly said again.
"I think you're fundamentally wrong, Megyn!" he replied, later adding, "The First Amendment does give us the right to free speech. It doesn't mean you should go out and do it! It doesn't mean you should go out there and do stupid things as they did."
"Wow," Kelly responded in disbelief. "Richard, I am concerned about the America you would have us live in. That is not the way it was set up."