Apparently he was using someone else’s words, but most of us would probably agree with them.

One of the basic tenets of democracy is the right to freedom of speech.

As Voltaire once wrote: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

So it was disappointing to see the reaction to Sonia Kruger’s statement on television about stopping the immigration of Muslims into Australia.

Like a lot of people, I found Kruger’s comments bizarre. 

However, there’s also a sizeable portion of the Australian population which agrees with her.

Sure, if Kruger’s statements directly incited hate or violence, it would be an entirely different matter.

But she has a right to speak her mind, just as there have been some Australian Muslims who have used the right of free speech, a right not available in many Islamic countries, to bag Australia.

Statements such as Sharia law being on its way because there will be more Muslims than non-Muslims in Australia, because of their supposed higher birth rate.

Or that the definition of free speech means that Islamic bookshops should have the right to carry books that advise on how to wage jihad.

It is untenable to me that Kruger was immediately labelled a racist.

I have little time for the rantings of Andrew Bolt, Piers Akerman, Miranda Devine, Alan Jones, Ray Hadley and others, because I reckon they are arrogant and deal with facts in a loose manner.

But I also think the same of Caroline Wilson and Waleed Aly for the same reasons, although he does seem to have a similar opinion to me on this matter, and not because she is a woman and he is a Muslim.

All these people are able to make the comment they do because of the right of freedom of speech, within certain legislative constraints.

Divergent comments bring things out into the public arena and can be useful.

And if you don’t like a commentator’s opinion, then don’t read, listen or watch them in the media.

Social media is a wonderful tool for people to put their opinions out there, but it is a double-edged sword. 

Unfortunately, it can be a vehicle of hate and also self-righteous comment.

For example, don’t those people who got on Facebook and Twitter this week, bagging Kruger as a ditzy blonde, realise they made her seem like a victim?

Why not just stick to the facts and present them in a cool-headed manner, rather than in a smarmy, smart-alec, disparaging one?

Much has been said about people like Kruger and Hanson generating fear. 

And yes, that may be a worry, because fear has been one of the great motivators since we were the number one choice on a sabre-toothed cat’s menu.

It’s unfair to expect Australian Muslims to come out and criticise terrorism that happens overseas – they have little control over that and it is not Islam anyway.

But it would be helpful if they came out and damned some of the outrageous statements made by members of their community.

The bottom line with freedom of speech is that if you pick up one end of the stick, you pick up the other.