SOme interesting points there. I do believe in freedom of speech and think we should accommodate the worst idiots there are as much as possible. I see what you are saying, but it is a slippery slope. I can just imagine our president deciding the “liberal” media is offensive, and therefore should be shut down.

Some universities are not allowing conservative speakers to speak. Universities are supposed to be a place for ideas and such. \

It is true, as you say, people use “freedom of speech” to justify all sorts of bad things. It works the other way too though, keeping the peace, protecting people, can also be used as a way of stifling the rights of others. I really think offensive speech must be protected as free speech, no matter how bad it is.

I live in kansas. You know there is this “church” that hates gays here. They send out notices saying they are going to protest this or that … and the media falls all over itself condemning them. Little do they realize they are giving that group free publicity and actually helping them spread the hate message. They could not buy the free publicity that is handed to them. I was the editor of a paper in kansas when they were at their peak. we refused to mention them or even acknowledge their existence. We were not stifling their right to speak, but we did have the right to decide they were not newsworthy and not cover their events.