"We protect expression that we hate"

Before I start, I'd like to apologize because I am both sick and hungover this morning, so please don't expect too much out of me.
In this CNN report, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer says of burning the Qur'an: "We protect expression that we hate. When you have a country of 300 million different people who think different things, it is helpful. It is helpful to tell everyone, 'You can think what you want.'" And I couldn't agree more. An unpopular opinion is an opinion nonetheless and deserves equal protection under the law, no matter how unpopular it may be. Arguably, flag and/or Qur'an burning are actions, which technically are not protected per se by the constitution, but it is my belief that actions have a message, and therefore are speech, a fundamental protection of the government.
Please don't misinterpret that, not all actions necessarily have a message, but so long as it harms no one in the process, or in no way impedes any individual from the God given rights of man, why should our government punish such actions?