And it's confusing, since what they SAY I'm thinking and doing, I'm never actually thinking or doing. I must be doing something wrong.

Maybe I can learn a little of that feverish vitriol from them fellers.

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It's been decades since I have seen it, and it probably hasn't aged well, but when it was first released GUIDE was quite brilliant.

Would it have been asking too much for those offended Hispanic kids to have had that same respect?

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You seem to be missing an important point about the flag shirt situation. Those kids who wore the American flag shirts did it for the express purpose of pissing off the Hispanic students.

If that wasn't the reason, then why did they pick that day to do it? They could have shown a little respect for the Hispanic population by not wearing them. Instead they chose to do it and then act like they're some kind of goddamn patriot just sticking up for Old Glory.

It was childish and ridiculous and the fact that the parents of those kids are defending them makes it even worse. Instead of using this to teach them about respect for other people and cultures, they act like they are the victims.

Sure they have the right to wear whatever they want. And other people have the right to get pissed off and call them on it. They deserved whatever punishment they received.

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And as Uber-Right George Will has pointed out, there is absolutely nothing in the Constitution that guarantees the Right Not to be Offended.

I personally do not think freedom of expression/speech should be considered an ABSOLUTE. I think it should be wielded very carefully, even surgically, on a case-by-case basis. (It makes me intensely uncomfortable, for instance, that Rap lyrics endorsing rape and other violence against women should be considered protected under the First Amendment.)

That's not how we roll, however. The First Amendment IS interpreted as an ABSOLUTE, which means, yes, people have the "right" to deliberately offend others.

Brandon Frye wrote:  Matt Reed wrote: That's what gets me, Al.  I'm sure someone will pipe up and say that although they are on the right, these people don't speak for them...althewhile saying that the left, as a whole, is ugly and aggressive. Sigh

Before you get your hairshirt in a twist, look back to see what I wrote.  Did I single you out?  Are you the "someone" who is piping up? 

I would be shocked if you think that there aren't people who demonize others but then parse words and cut bait when the same accusations are leveled against them.  If you're one of those people, then I was talking about you.  If you're not, chill out.

 People can go out of their way to do offensive things, but it's in the eyes of the viewers to choose to be offended or not.  We don't know if other students were offended, because the principal overreacted, and said as much.

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Or, from the perspective of those people, Palin/Beck/Limbaugh/Tea Partiers present a Revealed Truth, and it is those who are offended by what they say who are the idiots.

That, of course, is an instance in which the Freedom of Expression MUST be jealously guarded, or pretty soon it will not only be unlawful to offend, it will be unlawful to DISAGREE.

Hey, worked for Hitler and Stalin!