| Censure not Censorship There has been a lot of fuss recently about TV preacher Pat Robertson suggesting the assassination of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. Some people have suggested he "never should have been allowed" to say such a thing on the air. In my opinion, Robertson is an utter boob. However, I think it's far better to let him speak, so we can all see what a boob he is (and in his own words) rather than make a martyr of him by suppressing him through prior restraint. And of course, the big problem with prior restraint is that people with good and useful things to say will very likely end up being silenced far more often than those who are more odious. Better to let the boobs speak openly, and be criticized with equal openness, so that their boobyism (if in fact it is such) is apparent to all. Yes, as Americans, we have a civic and moral duty to publicly expose our boobs.  |
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