Nugent, others debase free speech

By John Esperian, Las Vegas

Monday, March 3, 2014 | 2:02 a.m.

Dissent has always been — as it should be — part of America’s political dialogue, and since every politician affirms his or her own view on domestic and international issues, it’s no surprise that disagreement is often plentiful.

However, when one or the other crosses the line and steers argument and discourse into the dark realm of insult and malicious confrontation, the idea of free speech, the right to express one’s views, becomes compromised and debased. And so it was with conservative “rocker” Ted Nugent when he tried to defend, on CNN recently, his use of the words “subhuman mongrel” to describe President Barack Obama.

We can only hope that individuals on the right can see that Nugent’s words say more about Nugent than they do anyone else — and that beneath our respective political skins, we are all Americans first.