It was this day in 2015 that the Charlie Hebdo shooting happened. It was also that day that made me decide that free speech was the hill that I was willing to die on. It's also that day that forced me to understand that free speech isn't "just your opinion...man."
People die for free speech for more than just an opinion or a desire to offend people. There's a robust history regarding the defense of free speech. Really, it's the foundational value of the free world. When we lose free speech, we lose everything.
Did Charlie Hebdo need to make fun of Muhammad? No. Did Jyllands-Posten need to print a cartoon of Muhammad wearing a bomb as a hat? No. Did South Park need to show Jesus crapping on a bunch of people? No. Did Amy Schumer need to tell the joke..."I used to date Hispanic guys but now I prefer consentual?" No.
If your criteria for defending speech are based on need, you don't get free speech. If you think that the only defensible speech is safe speech, you don't get free speech. If you think that you can defend free speech while banning offensive speech, you don't get free speech.
