by Wayne Douma

Created on: December 28, 2009   Last Updated: December 30, 2009

Hate speech must be tolerated if you are someone who truly believes in the words of the United States Constitution. The first Amendment tells us that we are a nation that allows freedom of speech to come from anyone's mouth as long as they are a citizen in this country. 

The problem with the term "hate speech" is that it is used so often in the wrong context in today's society. It is easy to understand a group like the Westboro Baptist Church preaching that God hates homosexuals and that anyone who supports our nation's military is supporting the homosexual agenda because of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." 

There are people who spout off racism and hatred of other people because of their skin color in today's world from all sects of society. We have skinheads and Nazi's still living in America preaching hatred of blacks, Jews, immigrants, and gays. 

At the same time there is Jeremiah Wright preaching from his church pulpit that the "White government invented aids" and that "America's chickens came home to roost on 9-11 because of past sins." 

That is all pretty clear hate speech and I could go on for days about things like that are said in a clearly hateful manner. Some might then ask why anyone thinks free speech should be tolerated? The Constitution allows them to say things like this! The other reason I write for the side hate speech should be tolerated is how far we have come as an American society. 

Let these white pride skinheads and Jeremiah Wright and the Westboro Baptist Church spout their hatred because we as a society are better then this. These people have small lunatic fringe followings, but the greater society realizes that what they are saying is wrong, and we do not have to agree with it. 

Another issue is the term "hate speech today."  I have voiced displeasure on some policy initiatives of President Barack Obama since his election and been called a "racist" for it. This needs to be made clear - no one is a racist just because they disagree with policy of a black President. 

People are labeled as throwing out "hate speech" for simply voicing an opinion on anything in today's society. You can say Mike Vick should still be in prison for his terrible crime of dogfighting, and you might be called a racist. I have witnessed people actually being accused of spouting "hate speech" because of their disdain for terrorists and support of the US military.  It is just

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