HATE SPEECH : If it's fair for one it's fair for all

Interesting article from OneNewsNow.com with a fair and correct perspective regarding "hate speech".  I believe that so called hate speech along with its legal ramifications is an absurdity and a blight on free speech.  However, if it is going to be accepted and enforced for one or more groups it must be applied to all groups without discrimination:

Atheist sign = hate speech

Charlie Butts - OneNewsNow - 2/21/2010 4:20:00 AM  A candidate for Illinois comptroller has sued the state over a decision related to the State Capitol building's holiday display.
 It dates back to the most recent Christmas holiday period when William Kelly walked over to a nativity scene. He explains: "I saw a sign standing next to the nativity scene, a free-standing sign that said, I'm paraphrasing...but essentially, there's no God, there's no heaven, there's no hell, there's no angels, no devils. Religion is good for only war, poverty, and disease."
He picked up the sign and turned it around so no one could see it, and state police arrested him shortly after. Since the incident, Kelly has filed a federal lawsuit."I believe that the result of this lawsuit is going to prevent these atheists from abusing these nativity scenes every year because really, that statement wasn't contributing anything to the nativity scene," he contends. "It was really just a form of hate speech."
Kelly feels that laws barring hate speech ought to apply to those who belittle people of faith, and he believes that, in an era of people demanding rights and special rights often contrary to traditional values, Christians should become activists and stand for their faith.

I think we need to chuck the whole idea of "hate speech" and embrace our God given right of freedom of speech. Otherwise it must be "what's good for the goose is good for the gander"!