You are an intelligent woman.  So am I.  It is therefore difficult to understand how we can have such divergent views on the IMPERATIVE nature of Free Speech and the FUTILE nature of Compelled Morality.  

Less in the spirit of coming-out-swinging and more in the spirit of time’s-a-wastin’, I will venture to suggest that your Homosexuality excites a staunch root-for-the-underdog loyalty that kinda self-servingly pimps the notion of protecting Some at the expense of Others.

As they say at touchy-feely laboratory schools of an oh-so-liberal inclination: THAT’S NOT OKAY.

That’s Animal Farm stuff.

Lemme guess, I’m a Racist?  I’m a Homophobe?  Since immersing myself in American politics four brief years ago, I have been called Racist, KLAN MEMBER WHOSE SPAWN SHOULD DIE (as a Mom, a personal favorite), Nigger Lover, Neoconservative, California Liberal, Kook, Republican Water Carrier, Democratic Water Carrier, COINTELPRO, Enemy Belligerent, Agent Provocateur, Fascist, Socialist, Marxist, Communist, Christian, Buddhist, Heathen, Infidel, Troll, Retard, Moron, Bitch and SON of a Bitch.

RACIST falls squarely on the Harmless end of the STICKS AND STONES MAY BREAK MY BONES BUT NAMES WILL NEVER HURT ME spectrum.  This isn’t a Popularity Contest.  

Except for YOU, it kinda IS, isn’t it?  Can we call a spade a spade, or is that RACIST?

FREEDOM OF SPEECH is not “merely” enshrined in our Constitution, it is SHOWCASED in our Constitution.  I will argue that the Pursuit of Happiness, ALSO showcased in the FOUNDING DOCUMENT THAT DEFINES OUR SOCIAL CONTRACT, does NOT extrapolate to the right not to be insulted or have feelings slighted.

We are DROWNING in Political Correctness, Micro Management, Hyper Regulation and False Civility.  Not YOU though, eh?  Your TREATMENT of Rand Paul — not your interview, your TREATMENT — of Rand Paul was JARRING. I’m not even a fan of his and I’m telling you, you exuded A-G-E-N-D-A.  You kinda stooped to COY to get-er-done.

All but Assholes will grant that Nineteen-Sixties America was a “special” time.  Desperate times call for desperate measures.  Necessity is the mother of Invention. A stitch in time saves nine.  Take yer pick.  Done is done.  Crisis averted. I trust you’ll concede that we DO pretty much careen along from brink of disaster to brink of disaster.  Does that seem like a Human Necessity to you?  Or does that seem like Political Jockeying WHICH, in a two-party System, implicates BOTH parties roughly equally?

All but Assholes will grant that there are privately owned businesses/facilities that cater to such scope of Audience as to constitute a Public forum, for the Practical Purpose that can be the only Reason to ever initiate ANY force upon an Unwilling Free Will.  Sports stadiums, concert arenas, theaters and such.  If you don’t wanna rub elbows with GaysNiggersSpicsChinksMicksKikes et al., DON’T COME HERE. 

But if private enterprises shall be held to Anti Discrimination, so must Clubs and Associations.  Feelings are FEELINGS. No favoritism, right?  RNC must tolerate AND promote Democrats.  DNC must tolerate AND promote Republicans.  Girls must move up in the Boy Scout ranks.  Straight people must move up in the ranks of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Dot Org.  I suspect you have thrown dinner parties without inviting me.  Ouch.  

There is literally no END to the rules that Equality mandates, if we would “fairly” spare EVERY person EVERY bruise to his or her psyche.

WHY would people want to cozy up to people who don’t like them?  Who could possibly feel better if people who don’t like them are COMPELLED to pretend they DO like them?  Ewww.  I don’t know about you, but about the LAST place I’d wanna eat is where someone was FORCED to serve me.  I’d be afraid they’d SPIT on my food.  It’s so illogical and farfetched, it seems likely that Community Organizers and Politicians kinda sorta AGITATE people into being “properly” outraged.  

How many restaurants, hotels, shops and service providers do we imagine could stay in business by refusing to serve Paying Customers?

I’ve been a Kid and I’ve raised a Kid.  If we’re REALLY serious about forcibly setting people Right, Parenthood probably oughtta require a LICENSE.  Y’know, issued by Authorities upon Expert certification of mastery of some EFFIN’ COURSEWORK.

Another means by which to TRACK AND CONTROL the population.  Win-Win.

Are you aware of the increasing surveillance and increasing regulation or, being a Media Celebrity, are you above the fray?  Do you FEEL the greater and greater intrusion of Government into Personal Space or, as a Media Celebrity who retreats to a second home  in the country, are you spared THAT assault on the psyche?

Chris Matthews played coy in a recent interview-slash-ambush, as well.  With a New Hampshire Libertarian who “open-carried” to an Obama Kodak Moment.  HUH?  WHADDYA MEAN, EROSION OF CIVIL LIBERTIES?  It was all news to Politico Chris Matthews.  And maybe it WAS.  Maybe it’s the Mainstream Media parallel to Senator Ben Cornhusker Kickback Nelson not knowing shit from shine-ola about ATM fees.  O-BLI-VI-OUS.

Michael Douglas as Andrew Shepherd in An American President: “…America isn’t easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad, ’cause it’s gonna put up a fight. It’s gonna say “You want free speech? Let’s see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who’s standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours…”

If Liberty is not entire, it is not Liberty.” – Eamon de Valera.

Of what are people so afraid?  That if some Asshat caters only to Whites (or Mexicans, or Chinese, or Indians, or Armenians, or Persians, or Greeks, or Vietnamese, or Poles OR BLACKS), everyone else will become likewise exclusive, seizing the opportunity to cut off their snooty noses to spite their financial faces?  Do we imagine that, despite the presence of 11-or-is-it-14 MILLION Illegal Immigrants, discrimination is reserved for “special” races?

Do we imagine that, if we bring enough FORCE to bear in violation of enough Rights, we can COMPEL people into cheerful, cooperative, constructive Citizenship?  It reminds of a dreaded Family Vacation, HURRY UP AND GET IN THE CAR, GODDAMMIT, WE’RE GONNA HAVE A GOOD TIME IF IT KILLS US. 

If we really ARE  so Balkanized, hadn’t we better LEARN that about ourselves?

“A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.” 

There ARE Racists in America, yes?  Hence the laws, right?  I’m not saying they are Right, I am saying they ARE.  They EXIST.  Therefore, they have RIGHTS.  Same as everyone else.  Otherwise, WHAT?  Line ‘em up and SHOOT ‘em?  Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Assembly, Freedom from Tyranny.  Wars for THESE preceded battles for A MORE PERFECT UNION.

Kum-Bay-Ah all around.  Setting aside wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, PEACE ON EARTH.  Do you imagine that, although earthly nirvana has eluded man for all of recorded time, somehow THIS is the Bumper Crop that knows the Secret Sauce recipe?  We’ll simply OUTLAW Racism, between rounds of sorting out Mideast Issues that pre-date the Bible? 

Magical Thinking with a side of Force is not a REMEDY.  On the contrary.  As with the hysterical war on drugs or parental disapproval of a boyfriend/girlfriend, it increases Resistance and deepens Commitment.  Blah blah blah.  Psycho babble.  There is room for disagreement.

But there is NOT much room for disagreement on the significance of Free Speech to Freedom.  Name ONE tyrannical government that did not include A.) a call to surrender Arms and B.) suppression of Speech.  Too intense?  It could never happen here?  Rome couldn’t fall.  Titanic couldn’t sink.  America can never be attacked on American soil.  No sir-ee, not after Pearl Harbor, 9/11 and Fort Hood.

Ultimately, in the final analysis, all things considered, at the end of the day, in your heart of hearts, where the rubber meets the road, do you want to realize and relay Truth or do you want “your side” to win?  Are you a Journalist for the People or an Advocate of Special Interests?