Hey kids. I have been underwhelmed by the response to my last post. Thanks, Mia, for commenting.

So back to the regular rants. Last week a well-known talk radio personality was fired for making a stupid comment about a basketball team. One stupid remark cost him his job and his reputation. As my dear Mia would say, WTF?

I am in no way defending what Mr. Imus said. It was a dumb thing to say. However, what the hell is happening in this country? We are supposed to have freedom of speech, as long as it is not inciting violence. People are supposed to be allowed to say the most assine things.

The man apologized. Repeatedly. But now his career is over because of this one remark. He doesn't have a history of harassing other religions or races or anyone really. How f*cking sensitive have we become? One dumb comment and your life is over? Is that really fair? Who among us has not once said something racially or religiously insensitive? The only difference is that we are not celebrities and our ignorance isn't broadcast to the world. Deep down inside we are all bigots or hypocrites in one way or another. For some of us it isn't all that deep down.

My best friend is from SE Asia and grew up ghetto. There was one incident between us that sticks in my memory. I once made a joke about her being ghetto and was stunned when she got offended. I couldn't believe it. We had been friends for a long time and never had any ugliness between us. As she looked at me with anger and hurt in her eyes I got angry too. I pointed out how many times she had teased me for being a "cracker" and "white trash". She certainly didn't have a problem laughing at me and my background. Almost immediately I could see that she got it. It was a joke, just like the many jokes she had made of me. After that we never had a problem.

Years ago my girlfriend and I were walking down the street with a mutual friend in a major US city. Three teenage boys walked past and as they did one made a VERY nasty comment regarding my girlfriend's sexuality. I was livid. This wasn't the first or the last time we dealt with anti-gay sentiment but that night I had enough. Despite the other two women I was with wanting to let it go I chased after the boys and confronted them. I said, "You have something to say about my girlfriend?" They were shaken to be called out on their bad behavior. I could see that they were afraid. Of me. Just because I had the balls to go after them. Immediately they apologized and became ever so friendly. To this day I'm still amused.

It seems to me that we are in a period when everyone has the most tender feelings and that the world is expected to never hurt them. Although I have noticed in popular culture that it is acceptable to make fun of whites, fat people, and gays, but that last one is almost out the door. People seem to expect that the world owes them and their beliefs respect. The world should never dare to step on their toes. News flash. The world doesn't owe anyone anything.

I grew up hearing dumb blonde and dumb Norweigan jokes constantly. I don't take it personally. Sometimes the jokes are funny. Sometimes they are not. But in any case I've been taught that in this country people are allowed to speak their minds, no matter how stupid their thoughts may be. If I don't like what someone says I ignore them or lay out my viewpoint. If there is something on the tv or radio that I don't like then I don't watch or listen. It's that simple.

The reality of life is that people are always going to disagree and have different ideas about what is acceptable and what is not. Your feelings are going to be hurt. Someone is going to insult you or something you care deeply about. My advice is to grow up and deal with it. You'll be lucky if you get an apology. And if you don't, so what? How does one person's ignorance diminish who you are or what you believe? It shouldn't. Move on.