On Kobe Bryant's use of a gay slur, what do you think?

First of all, I am disappointed, but not surprised, that the usual suspects are making the same tired arguments about "political correctness" and "thought police." That is, some people are saying that those of us who took offense are guilty of somehow being thought police because we express our displeasure/disapproval of that word. Some even bring the first amendment into it. I figure many of these are the same folks who think "socialism" is a dirty word. Well, guess what? In capitalism the NBA gets to decide how it treats its players! Go to work tomorrow and call your boss an "asshole" and then call it free speech. That reminds me of Sarah Palin's thinking that Laura Schlesinger's first amendment rights were trampled on when she repeatedly used the "n" word. No, theye were not! If the government steps in and fines Kobe, I will be the first to cry foul, but stop trying to portray yourselves as constitutional scholars! As far as the word itself, meaning is created in communities, and it is the height of arrogance to stand and say, "no, that is not what the word means because that's not what I intended it to mean." You are free to say whatever the hell you want to say, just as those who don't like it are free to call you out for it. Those voicing displeasure are availing ourselves of our own first amendment rights.