There's a cool quote out there that I'm really too lazy to look up... I want to attribute it to Thomas Jefferson, but I might be off on that, as well.

To paraquote:
Freedom of speech is not intended to protect you, it's meant to protect the other guy.

We're so used to thinking of freedom of speech as something to protect us, we often lose sight that it's really intended to protect the guy we don't agree with. I think it's one of the hardest things to do, and kind of the truest tests of freedom, to let other people have opinions that are counter to yours.

That said, I don't agree with a word Manix said. In fact, I just stopped reading that thread entirely. I didn't want to hear his explanation, I didn't want to hear the bickering which resulted. I have no tolerance for racism or bigotry of any sort.

Eh, he thought he was on topic, he spoke his mind, and the good people of this forum let him know his particular breed of hate has no place in this forum. If he'd like to talk about cigars, I'm fine with that. If he wants to hatemonger, well, that's unacceptable (to me).