For the gazillionth time, the ol’ double standard rears its head.

Why is it perfectly acceptable for politicians, pundits and others to toss around the derogatory term “teabaggers” to describe American citizens who ascribe to the philosophy of small government, fiscal responsibility, a strong defense and adherence to the principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence and the rule of law as enunciated in the U.S. Constitution?

Make a joke at someone’s private birthday party? You’re fired. Use a name that some historian can link to racism? Lose an election. Speak out against a group that calls itself “The Race”? You’re a damned racist. Yet, refer to Americans who believe in the Constitution as “teabaggers”, and you can count yourself among major media personalities as well as prominent lawmakers.

Look, I’m a big fan of the First Amendment and, as such, I believe that the folks who want to call patriotic Americans “teabaggers” can go ahead and do so, but their hypocrisy is fair game.

Apparently, even the sometimes funny, more often detestable, Jon Stewart, is beginning to see the light.