Christopher Hitchens -- Free Speech Part 1

Christopher Hitchens gives a talk in Canada on Free Speech in November 2006. This is the end of the twenty minute speech originally from One Good Move: http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/2007/03/free_speech_6.html

Hitchens makes some great points that usually are overlooked, and should be fully and completely remembered (or, in worst cases, realized).

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• Christopher
• Hitchens
• Free
• Speech

[mush01]

I keep coming back to this speech and thinking that long after he's gone, this might be Hitch's most important contribution to the world.

Let us hope that we are not looking back at it from a time when all speech is limited and the idea of its freedom has become an obscure point of philosophical history.

[grubelsucht]

Here Hitchens gives his most seminal lecture. It all flows from free speech. 

[JamesTheFox]

I'm tired of the "fire in a crowded theatre" analogy. Listen, if you think the potential for dangerous behaviour mandates censorship, do me this favour will you? Don't go to your government and protest for free speech limits: go to your government and protest for the banning of fire drills.

Lets see how fucking committed you are to this premise.

Anyone seen The Simpsons episode where everyone in the Nuclear Plant goes crazy over Mr Burns' fire drill? We all know what the point of that gag was.

[Freethinker12341]

I love you so much Hitch!!! I miss you, You are just as you said about Shakespeare, "immortal in the work that he has left behind". You are just that Chris. You are immortal in your work.

I come on youtube and watch your debates, I read your books. It still feels like you're alive.

[marktrade88]

@mush01 I believe you're right. R.I.P., Christopher Hitchens.

[myroseaccount]

He is a bullying English public school shite! To quote himself anyone who has ever been anywhere near an English public school has already met him!

[10mintwo]

This is the single most important speech this man ever made and one of my favorites of all time by anyone. The self-evident nature of religion's stupidity is obvious. Religion is most assuredly on the wane. Attacks on freedom of speech however, are just as common and obnoxious as they've ever been and in my opinion at least, increasingly prevalent from those who claim to be progressive. We ignore this man's sage wisdom at our peril.

Goodbye Christopher, you will not soon be forgotten.

[smooch0408]

I have this speech memorized. Best one I've ever heard. RIP Christopher.

[turbozed]

Probably my favorite Hitch speech. You will be missed.

[LiNGiE]

RIP

[craigpsimpson]

@villeppi Lerl