TFI Friday: Christopher Hitchens on free speech

I’ve decided that on each Friday—or at least most Fridays—I will try to post something of interest to me. What better place to start than with Christopher Hitchens?

I miss Hitch. And I know I’m not the only one that mourns for all the acerbic and witty political commentary that we were robbed off by his death in 2011.

I believe Hitchens was at his best when defending the right of free expression against the forces of tyranny. And you will struggle to find a better defence of free expression than his speech from 2006:

The speech does an incredible job of summarising John Stuart Mill, John Milton and Thomas Paine—whose writing remain the essential texts on this issue. He also puts into context the trope about “shouting fire in a crowded theatre”.

Enjoy and please let me know what you think in the comments.