John Kerry: Freedom of Speech, Thought, & Religion Also Means the Right 'to Be Stupid

Speaking before a gathering of German students Tuesday, Secretary of State John Kerry explained that freedom of thought, speech, and religion in America also means U.S. citizens have the “right to be stupid.”

"As a country, as a society, we live and breathe the idea of religious freedom and religious tolerance, whatever the religion, and political freedom and political tolerance, whatever the point of view," Kerry told students in Berlin.

"People have sometimes wondered about why our Supreme Court allows one group or another to march in a parade even though it's the most provocative thing in the world and they carry signs that are an insult to one group or another," he added.

"The reason is, that's freedom, freedom of speech. In America you have a right to be stupid -- if you want to be," he said. "And you have a right to be disconnected to somebody else if you want to be.

"And we tolerate it. We somehow make it through that. Now, I think that's a virtue. I think that's something worth fighting for," he added. "The important thing is to have the tolerance to say, you know, you can have a different point of view."

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