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The quote commonly attributed to Voltaire applies. I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.
I personally believe the free and unimpeded exchange of ideas to be a fundamental necessity of a free society. As soon as we begin to limit that freedom because some ideas are unpopular, that freedom effectively no longer exists. Therefore I can only conclude that it is absolutely necessary that all forms of expression need to be protected, even those that I find personally distasteful. I may not like hate speech. I find the idea of racial prejudice both puzzling and more than a little abhorrent. Due to my own beliefs as outlined above, it is absolutely necessary that I defend the freedom of any individual to express these ideas.
The US constitution does not apply to me, so my opinion is academic. All the same, I would argue that it must necessarily protect hate speech; otherwise, it's meaningless.
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I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said
- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame
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