One of the most offensive statements to me are “atheists have no morals” and “atheists have no basis for morality”. Those are highly offencive to me but I know I have said things that others would consider offencive and if they have no right to say something offencive to me then I have no right to say something offencive to them. If I thought that others shouldn’t say anything that is offencive to me but I could say something that is offensive to them I would be a hypocrite. The statements “atheists have no morals” or “atheists have no basis for morality” are very offencive to be bit I would never say that others would not be allowed to say such things and I would defend the rights of others to say such things!

But why? Why would I defend the rights of others to offend me? Freedom is not limited to a select few, no one gets special rights and or privileges, not you not me not anyone. If others can not say something that is offensive to me then what right do I have to say something that is offensive to them? I have opinions that are offensive to others and if I state these opinions I would (and have) offend someone and others have opinions that are offensive to me and others. Every one has thoughts and opinions that someone else will find offensive and if there is no right to offend then you, I and others have no right to express our opinions cause they might be/are offencive to someone.

And thats why freedom of speech mean freedom to offend. With out the freedom to offend there is no freedom of speech. With out the freedom to offend there is free discussion, debate, criticism and expression of opinion. Nothing world change, nothing would get better, the world would stagnate in a nightmare of political correctness. Progress, true progress only happens when there is free discussion, debate, criticism and expression, it is through these that ideas are born, grow, evolve and die, that we find problems and errors and the best ways to fix them, it is through these that the world become a better place for everybody. And with out the freedom to offend we don’t have them.