Dear Rand Paul,

I don’t know where to begin with you. I’m not going to agree with your Libertarian politics, and you won’t agree with my tree hugging practically communist brand of liberalism. So let’s not try to find common ground there. But here’s something I think we can agree on: freedom of speech.

You can’t stand up on Wednesday and say that bigots may be offensive but they have a right to speak and the next day condemn the President’s comments on BP as unAmerican. He has as much right as anyone to castigate the oil giant. And frankly, you’re pretty out of step with most Americans if you think it shouldn’t be held accountable for its actions.

Yes, accidents happen. But if I accidentally break your window playing a game of catch, I still have to pay for the damages, including the cut on your foot that needed stitches after you stepped on some of the glass. If I balk at fixing your window or paying your healthcare costs, you have every right to get angry and even take legal action to ensure I meet my responsibilities. That’s not unAmerican, nor is talking about it to the neighbors.

I could talk about how you think it’s okay for private businesses to discriminate based on race (I would assume or religion, gender, or whatever, as well), but I’m not going to change your mind. For now, let’s just be consistent: if the KKK has the right to call Jews and African Americans bad names, then President Obama has the right to say that he’ll keep his boot on the neck of BP to make sure the company makes things as right as they can be made in the Gulf of Mexico and the states impacted by the spill. And I hope he keeps his word.

Lisa

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