>WIW, there is no reason you shouldn't still be a Free Speech absolutist (I still am) so long as you don't fall for the disinformation that Free Speech means freedom from social consequences.
These days I see less and less (speaking in terms of justifications and arguments) going for the idea that free speech is an unfettered good in itself - especiall when it very clearly runs up against the principle of liberal egalitarian philosophy. I find it very hard - if not impossible - to be a liberal egalitarian in the context where hate speech and inegalitarian pornography (yes, we can talk about what those terms mean) are allowed free reign in the public discourse.
These days I see less and less (speaking in terms of justifications and arguments) going for the idea that free speech is an unfettered good in itself - especiall when it very clearly runs up against the principle of liberal egalitarian philosophy. I find it very hard - if not impossible - to be a liberal egalitarian in the context where hate speech and inegalitarian pornography (yes, we can talk about what those terms mean) are allowed free reign in the public discourse.