It's not surprising that Sarah Palin would come out in support of Dr. Laura Schlessinger's interpretation of the First Amendment as not guaranteeing freedom of speech, but rather freedom from criticism. Palin's expressed similar beliefs before, basically that the First Amendment only guarantees her and her political allies freedom of speech, while any criticism of her statements is an unconstitutional infringement on her right to say whatever she wants.
It goes without saying that this is painfully stupid, because such an interpretation necessarily acts as a restriction on other people's right to free speech. But I think it basically explains why Palin believes that there's something offensive about American Muslims building a community center on private property while Schlessinger telling a black woman she should stay out of interracial relationships if she doesn't want to have n-bombs lobbed at her every day is the height of free expression. The point is that Constitutional rights only apply to whomever conservatives arbitrarily place in the category of "real Americans," and extending them to anyone outside that narrow circle is a threat to the freedoms only real Americans have a right to enjoy. As Keep America Safe's Debra Burlingame said of the proposed Park 51 project, freedom of religion "is a Western concept." Only "Westerners" need apply.
