I am actually still pretty ambivalent on this issue.
I absolutely agree that throwing around serious accusations of fascism and racism as if the words were punctuation marks is utterly stupid but when it gets down to the more complex and practical aspects of a right to freedom of speech I, personally, am unable to see the issue in any sort of certain terms.

Firstly: the vast majority of rights are in conflict with one another, freedom to and freedom from is another grey area. In the majority of cases Mill's harm principle is a good measure of how to restrict, and therefore balance, different freedoms and rights however even he found it difficult to subscribe a clear cut off point. For example, should my right to say that 'followers of Islam are all evil and they should be driven out of the country' supersede a muslim family's freedom from the carrying out of my words? Am I responsible if my words are put into action?

Secondly: I like your view of the proper place of piss taking in debate. Excellent stuff. I would love to be able to properly have faith in the idea that debate will always dialectically provide us with the best answer but that is predicated on the understanding that all parties will be properly reasoned, reasonable and will be seeking resolution. So often this just is not the case.

I'd like to say that I am not supporting those who seek to stifle others' expression, I believe that it's most often a dangerous and deeply destructive road to go down. I just wanted to suggest that they may not be quite as contemptible as you seem to think, merely the other side of an argument which is fraught with contradictions, difficulties and uncertainties... as so often is the case with questions and decisions that go to the root of our very being as individuals in society. I certainly can't say I've worked it out yet.
( TFD is sporting this season's finest necropants, Wed 7 Apr 2010, 15:04, 1 reply)

"Firstly: the vast majority of rights are in conflict with one another, freedom to and freedom from is another grey area."
Nicely put.
(MSB Load universe into cannon. Aim at brain. Fire., Wed 7 Apr 2010, 15:08, closed)