On Censorship.

Reading the two articles on this topic, I didn't know what to think. Freedom of speech is a complicated topic, and both writers are making powerful, persuasive entreaties, but to opposite ends. Both articles make valid points, and it's hard to know which is right. But there's a quote from the first article which I find so resoundingly true that it gave me a starting point from which to form an opinion.

Idiocy thrives in the dark, not in dialogue.

and its partner,

Idiocy does not die in darkness but, rather, in dialogue.

One of the things I believe in most strongly is the greatest possible freedom of information in all parts of life. I want to learn, I want to understand things to the best of my ability, I want to make good judgements and decisions, and I can't do any of those things inside a cloud of vague misinformation like what's offered by any strongly biased source of knowledge.

So while I disagree with the comments Guillen made, and a part of me wants to just say 'let's make the idiots shut up,' I know that would be counter-intuitive and hypocritical. Because even if his comments are ignorant, he should have the right to make them, just as authors and educators the world over should be allowed to give bias-free information to the best of their abilities. Just as everyone should speak without retribution from those who would keep people in the dark for fear of promoting idiocy.