it's against the law to make racial slurs. Not a good thing to do (and I avoid making them because it's just not right), but I don't think it's illegal (at least in the US). We don't really need a First Amendment to protect civil, polite speech because no one would care. The First Amendment protects uncomfortable, impolite, controversial speech as well or else the government could (and would) shut down speech it doesn't like. Of course, there is the responsibilities/duties you so rightly brought up. People seem to forget that side of the coin. That's where libel and slander come in.