Perhaps Ward senses that now. We can't have it both ways. We can't say that athletes are important enough to be quoted in major media or paid millions to tout sports shoes and breakfast cereal, then, when they slander entire groups of people, say that their words suddenly don't mean anything. Ward was booed when he entered the court during Sunday's game against Toronto. That's part of the game in basketball and in life.
Free speech goes both ways.
If Ward fails to open his mind to respect other religious beliefs, shame on him. If the rest of us fail to hold him accountable, shame on us.