Poor Papa Freddy. Somebody forgot to tell him only gay people can call each other faggots. And even then it's gotta be a joke. And for this horrible, horrible blunder, 82-year-old Freddy Schmitt, a WWII veteran, will pay with the remaining eight months he planned to work before retiring, and his travel and health care benefits.

In a discussion about “Don't Ask, Don't Tell,” Freddy told his coworkers, “Back then, a faggot coulda saved my life.” But Freddy didn't mean anything by it. As a matter of fact, he was defending their right to serve in the military.

Freddy's worked for American Airlines for 54 years, and has a completely blemish-free employment record, being from the era of ball-busting bosses and hard workers. But none of that mattered when he used a homosexual slur in the workplace, and blew off the boss's reprimand.

It's stories like this one that make you wonder how far is too far. Sure, we'd rather people avoid offending each other, but is this really the appropriate punishment for an old man, set in his ways, who meant no harm?