When is enough silence enough

I heard today that Gilbert Gottfried got fired from Aflac because of a joke he made [on twitter] about the tragedy which happened in Japan. 

I keep wondering when it will be enough.

I get that there are some things you shouldn't joke about (some might not see it as a joke), you should have more tact and diplomacy, and all that. However, I just have to wonder when will it stop? Should we fear saying anything?

Many people are losing their jobs, mainly celebrities, for making light of a situation (terrible tragedy). But isn't laughter the best medicine? Isn't it their right to that whole free speech deal, to say what they wish? And not have everything "their" fault because of something they say?

Yes, we are responsible for the words we say, and the ones we use, but we're all still human and we are responsible for how we take it and react to it. And we make plenty of mistakes, including some things we say and then think... wait...

Just because someone calls you a bad name doesn't mean you are that bad name. And how you react to it says more than the person speaking.

Whatever happened to free speech?
Or maybe what we should call it is: free to say what you wish, as long as it doesn't offend men, women, children, any and every race; religion, sex, and living being, speech. Because that's what it's getting to isn't it?

Sarah Palin was pinpointed for using targets, and speaking certain things after the shootings, but it was the responsibility of the person holding the gun. Not the ones who made the gun; the people that said they didn't like that person who was shot; or any other number of reasons. The responsibility lies within us for how we take what's said and what we choose to do about anything. Remember the old saying about sticks and stones will break my bones but "words will never hurt me"?

How far will we take it before enough is enough?