Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

Many years ago, I had the great privilege of attending a seminar on the First Amendment put on by a national journalism organization at its headquarters just outside The Mall in Washington, D.C.

From my seat at a large conference table, I could look out the window and see the Jefferson Memorial.

The thought of it even now gives me chills.

Seminar leaders sought to impress upon the attendees, mostly newspaper editors like myself, the importance of the First Amendment in our work. So, they gave us a quiz.

I remember one of the questions well.

The Ku Klux Klan goes to a citys police department and seeks permission to stage a peaceful demonstration. What should the city do?

Some at the seminar said the city could reject the permit on the grounds that such a demonstration could provoke violence. Others believed the demonstration could be denied on the grounds that the KKKs values do not conform to the communitys.

No, no, no, seminar leaders said.

Unless the KKK members seeking permission had a clear track record of violence or criminal behavior, they have every right under the First Amendment to gather and express their views, regardless of how hateful they are.

The First Amendment is not there to protect speech we agree with, seminar leaders said. The First Amendment is there to protect speech we despise.

That seminar, that setting, comes to mind when I hear talk on another topic: the Confederate flag.

Let me start by saying the Confederate flag is a disgusting symbol of traitors whose sole mission was to protect their right to enslave another race of human beings. It is NOT a symbol of Southern pride, unless youre proud of your racist history.

But like those seminar leaders told us years ago, the First Amendment is there to protect speech we despise.

The First Amendment does not give us the right to hang a Confederate flag on a Black familys home. Thats a threat, a hate crime no different than painting a swastika on a synagogue.

And sports organizations, such as NASCAR, have every right to prohibit the Confederate flag. Its their place, they can make that call.

But if some racist fool wants to fly the Stars and Bars at their home, well, sorry, the First Amendment gives them the right.

If some Americans and it appears to be a vastly growing number of them want to take a knee during the playing of the National Anthem, as the First Amendment gives them the right to do, then they have to accept the fact that those same 45 words above provide equal rights to racist fools.

You dont have to like it. You can tell the racist fool you find it despicable.

But you do have to tolerate it.

Its my belief that it may take time, but the Confederate flag will disappear from the American landscape. The flags ending cannot come soon enough, but like anything involving racial equality in this country, its demise will be painfully slow.

Until then, please remember that lesson in tolerance given many years ago in that chilling setting in our nations capital.

You have a right to free speech. And so do other Americans, even if that speech is despicable.

In a column two weeks ago, I incorrectly reported the position of state representative Adam Scanlon on North Attleboros 2019 government reform referendum. Scanlon opposed the charter aimed at government reform. My apologies to our readers.

Read more from the original source:

Mike Kirby: You don't have to like it - The Sun Chronicle