Part of me says that he deserves to pay every cent for being an ass:

A 44-year-old Wauwatosa man may have to pay for making a racial slur to a brother and sister as they walked along a bike path on the city's west side.

According to statements provided to police, the brother and sister, 37 and 40, were on the bike path that stretches between the 1200 and 1500 block of North 115th Street about 3:25 p.m. March 25 when they noticed the man standing on the path, drinking a beer.

As they got closer to him, he said, "You're in my neighborhood now." The two kept walking but heard the man as he called out the racial slur.

They called police. An officer immediately responded and located the man, who admitted making the slur. When the officer asked the man why he said it, the man reportedly said he did it because he is "Italian."

He was arrested for disorderly conduct and issued a citation with a fine set at $676.

Then of course there is the part of me that says that there is a high price to pay for the freedom of speech, and it shouldn't be in dollars, but in having to tolerate morons who speak like an ass.

From the details here, it doesn't sound like he threatened them, or chased after them, or did anything but say something offensive.  Should you be fined for saying something offensive?

What are your thoughts on this?