Dr Laura, Sarah Palin and the paradox

So I've let Dr. Laura Schlessinger's mistake (How is saying a word 11 times in a conversation a mistake?) marinate for a while before I put in my two cents, just to see if anyone else had the same reaction I did. Today I found this article at Forbes.com. I felt this quote from the last paragraph, "It's the paradox of free speech," said Julia Holak Tew. "She has a right to vocalize her thoughts in whatever poorly chosen words she wishes, but the public and the media also have a right to criticize her speech.", explains how I feel the best. Sarah Palin came to Dr. Laura's defense saying “Does anyone seriously believe that Dr. Laura Schlessinger is a racist?”. It is this type of spin that keeps the public from remembering that we all have a responsibility to defend free speech. Sure Dr. laura had a right to say what she said on her radio show, but she also has a responsibility to welcome criticism of what she said as well. She also should expect to be called a racist, if she uses racially charged language. She could have not used the word and still had the conversation with the woman she was talking to, she chose to use the word and all the power it carries. Ever heard the saying, "Don't bring a knife to a gun fight"? I think public figures like Sarah Palin and Dr. Laura forget that we all have to play by the same rules.

Here is another link to a Wall Street Journal article I read about the word and its origins.