Free Speech Has A Cost

"You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known, I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States."
- Tim Hardaway, former NBA player and All-Star

There are a few things wrong with what Tim said. I'm sure you can figure them out. But what I'm curious about is whether or not a person can speak his mind, be full of conviction and not be chastisied in the world we live in for what he says.

I mean, what if Hardaway simply said, "I don't like gay people. It's against my religion and what I believe to be the proper way one should conduct himself." Or something like that.

Would he still be vilified? I believe so.

So when can someone say something that's controversial, and it not be picked at by vultures? That's what I want to know. When will someone be able to say something like this, and it just be deemed as "his/her opinion?"

I wonder if a white person with celebrity status will ever be able to say "I don't like black people" and not be considered a racist. I wonder what would happen if a homosexual said that "he hated heterosexuals." Would he be scrutinized as much? I doubt it, but I wonder.

It's essentially the same question: why does free speech, in certain situations, come at such a high cost?

I don't know the answer to that question, but I know who we have to thank: this country's forefathers who wrote a Declaration about this life and lived furthest from it.