Mitt Romney fan defends freedom of speech ... by shoving a handkerchief into union supporter's mouth

Imagine loving Romney so much you're willing to physically assault someone over him. (Video.) So if you were protesting a Mitt Romney rally and some guy wearing a Romney button walked up to you and shoved a handkerchief into your mouth to get you to shut up, would you honestly have the self-discipline to calmly spit the handkerchief out and resume your protest?

Well, I wouldn't either, but Al Neal of Fight For a Fair Economy Ohio remarkably managed to do just that:

At one point, one of the protesters, Al Neal of Canton, 25, who said he was a union worker and a member of Fight for Fair Economy Ohio, was confronted by Richard Brysac, 77, of Parma.

Brysac attempted to quiet the protestor by emptying a bottle of water in Neal's mouth.

"He seemed thirsty, so I tried to shove the bottle in his mouth," Brysac said. "I thought it
was wrong to interfere with [Pawlenty's] freedom of speech.

"I acted out of character and I apologize if I offended anyone."

When the bottle didn't work, Brysac pulled out his handkerchief and gagged Neal.
Neal removed the handkerchief and continued chanting with the other protestors until the group was escorted from the rally.

Neal's response was absolutely perfect. He couldn't have handled himself any better. But aside from Brysac's silly nopology, will conservatives ever learn that they don't have an exclusive monopoly on freedom of speech? Neal has the exact same freedom of speech that Tim Pawlenty or any other conservative has. And shoving a handkerchief in his mouth is no way to honor the First Amendment.