From another thread where I rightly called Rush Limbaugh one of the most evil human beings to have lived, Ceeboo wrote:
Ceeboo wrote:A free American citizen that expressed his opinions (no matter what those opinions were or what you personally happen to think of them) is one of the most evil human beings to have lived?
It's possible his quibble was with "most evil". But I think Ceeboo's dispute runs deeper than objecting to hyperbole. He's free to correct me if I'm wrong, but my best guess is that what he really meant was far from being "most evil" or even "evil", there is something inherently good in the opinion of any free American expressing an opinion.
Are there natural limits to the moral implications of words? Do the words and parables of Jesus Christ, both in quality and in their reach help elevate Christ to one of the greatest people to have lived?
A different but related question: Is there inherent good in any and all words spoken freely?
The famous quote attributed to Patrick Henry, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" is on the fence about the moral status of words disagreed with. On the one hand, maybe he means the words are terrible. But it's hard not to see some good in terrible words because terrible words are the true test of freedom.
What, for instance, would Patrick Henry make of Alex Jones' theory that the children and their families who were shooting victims at Sandy Hook were all actors in a government conspiracy to take away gun rights?
Because Jones failed to respond, two defamations lawsuits were just ruled in favor of the families suing Jones. Would Henry have defended Jones to the point of saying that defamation should be allowed? A very extreme example: If Jones isn't allowed to lie and say that a school shooting is staged by the government, then couldn't that lend the government power to actually stage a school shooting and make it difficult or impossible for anyone to question it?
At any rate, discussions like these blur legality and morality. Most of us can conceive of breaking laws for moral reasons or abiding by the law to pursue an immoral end. Some who believe Jones is a dirt bag may believe Jones should be punished for his words, while others may believe dirt bag that he may be, he should not be punished for his words.
Giuliani and others who unite to steal power by obvious lies are pretty terrible people in my book. They are the greatest threat to the freedom of speech that today, allows them.