The right likes to play the political correctness, freedom of speech, etc. hand. Because it's a way they can mobilize people. It's one of the core principles of the United States, the idea of freedom of speech. It has this halo around it here that it has in no other country on the planet. And when you can claim that people's comments or jokes are infringed upon, is seen as losing the right to say or joke about whatever you want. Which is sold as "losing the country" - because we have a black president, or because people of color are now moving into white spaces and neighborhoods, so you can no longer make racist jokes. Which the right sells as this loss of freedom of speech, and rallies its base around.