I’ve been watching the reactions to Ann Coulter’s now infamous f-word remark around the Internet and media. Predictably the neocons are claiming that us liberals are being hypocrites and denying Coulter her right to freedom of speech under the First Amendment. They couldn’t be more wrong.Coulter went on Fox News to downplay her remark saying it was nothing more than a "schoolyard taunt." I’ll continue using Coulter’s analogy to illustrate my point.Suppose my friends and I are hanging out on the schoolyard. My particular clique is called, oh I don’t know, let’s say "the reds." Across the playground is another clique hanging out called "the blues." I decide that I don’t like one of the blues named Suzy, so I make a remark calling her a f***ing c**t.Now do I have the right to call Suzy that, no matter how crass it is? Absolutely. It’s guaranteed to me under the First Amendment.Does Suzy and her friends the blues have a right to get mad about what I called her? Absolutely.Can Suzy and her friends tell another group of kids, "the greens," what I said about her and suggest that the greens not play with me anymore? Absolutely.Can the blues tell the rest of the reds that if they don’t want to be thought of as supporting that crude remark about Suzy that they should tell me what I did wasn’t cool? Absolutely.When the greens and some of my fellow reds stop playing with me, has my right to free speech been silenced? Absolutely not, and that’s where the neocons are trying to confuse people.What Coulter and her neocon cronies need to realize is that while they have the right to free speech and they can make whatever stupid, offensive remarks they want, there are still consequences for doing so. If you preach hate, and you get people hating you in return, don’t be surprised. Coulter and friends need to grow up and accept responsibility for their actions.The First Amendment gives us the right to free speech, but it doesn’t give us a free ride.

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