Three North Carolina thugs have been fired for expressing bigotry.

Ordinary citizens have the right to express those views. We must defend the right to state views we find disgusting, lest powerful people who feel disgust for our views censor us.

However, cops (whether they are thugs or police officers) are given special powers over the public. With special power goes special responsibility, including the responsibility not to give in to bigotry even when under pressure. If some thugs blame the stress of the job for their expression of bigotry, in effect they are saying they are not up to the requirements of the job.

I think it is important to make a distinction between the one who advocated a civil war to massacre blacks, and the two who did not (especially the one who opposed the idea). Those two should get a second chance to show they can do their job.