I don't think 'Hate beliefs' qualify as a 'protected freedom of speech' issue...
Although he 'tried' to qualify it with: "He Never Saw"...
Anyone that has been through Louisiana Before the 60's Knows you didn't have to look very close to find massive discrimination... NOT just in Louisiana but Most if not all states. "Civil Rights" is more than an empty proclamation... It Should be available for all regardless of what others may "believe". And it should No be acceptable to imply that any particular wrong doing didn't exist prior to a national movement to correct it, That would be just too Misleading.
So when he "says he never saw blacks mistreated before civil rights in Louisiana". I have to think he is being a little less than totally honest. I'm in Kansas, and looking back at the 50's I know there was discrimination here, even with a very small black population.
It Should never be acceptable to allow someone to believe another part of the society has to have limited Civil Rights.
Having said that, I also Know that there are & always will be some that abuse anything... When there is an abuse, everyone should be willing to see it get pointed out, or have the courage to point it out themselves... :smile:KennyV