This sad story about an 82 year old WWII veteran who, at his advanced age, was still working as a productive and beloved employee of American Airlines, demonstrates a couple of the various facets of absurdity now dominating our "politically correct" attempts to curtail free speech and protect the tender feelings of groups who might take offense.

In a conversation at work, Freddy Schmitt expressed an opinion about homosexuals in the military (he was for it) and, in so doing, he apparently used a term that officials at American considered "intolerant."  Schmitt was fired for using a word officials at AA deemed to be an "anti-gay" slur--even though Schmitt understood himself to be defending the rights of homosexuals to serve in the military.  In this new "understanding" of the universe, actually taking the time to understand the intentions of individual speakers has gone the way of a speaker's right to express himself.  Why should anyone bother to try and understand an opinion that differs those deemed worthy of tolerance--particularly if that opinion is in-artfully delivered?  The only intentions or opinions that matter are those of the policy-makers and the lawyers who encourage them.