Funny that you say that, considering you keep defending the Iranian government's clear anti-semitic rhetoric, especially
here, and defended MaGZ' right to post hate propaganda
here,
here and
here.
Kind of contradictory, isn't it?
You are completely oblivious that these are clearly hate-speech, these are equivalents of Holocaust denial, and yet you refuse one and accept the other.
Although Hitchens in Randfan's link does have a good point, that letting these crackpots speak can only further our resolve and deepen and strengthen our knowledge of the real history, but I don't agree as far as what these people say can also influence fools (useful idiots), and people without proper critical thinking skills, and this can lead to alot of harm, since alot of people can be swayed this way without realizing it, so I can't say I'm a 100% in favor of freedom of speech for these cases. I still think hate speech is nothing more than that, hate speech, it doesn't bring anything constructive to the table.
Holocaust deniers I suspect don't really believe what they claim, they just want to incite fear and hatred towards the Jewish people, and that is not constructive, that is not debating, it's simply blind propaganda.
As I said in response to your post:
But I am also aware that we can't really do anything about it, that freedom of speech either is or isn't, either we have it or we don't, and this is where Hitchens hits the mark, ultimately we have to live with these people, and their hate, but we don't haev to like it, I certainly don't. Freedom of speech is a gift, and a curse.