Freedom of speech is essential.

I think it's kind of great that the Sarah Palin/David Letterman feud is going on during the Iranian elections. For one it really puts Sarah Palin and her insignificance and un-seriousness in perspective. But more importantly it has allowed us to see an illustration of just how crucial freedom of speech is from the most meaningful, life changing, speech to the most trivial, most inappropriate or most offensive speech.

Iranian Elections Update:
"And my hope is that the regime responds not with violence, but with a recognition that the universal principles of peaceful expression and democracy are ones that should be affirmed."
- President Obama

"Ahmadinejad called the opposition as a bunch of insignificant dirt who try to make the taste of victory bitter to the nation. He also called the western leaders as a bunch of 'filthy homosexuals'. All these disgusting remarks was today answered by that largest demonstration ever. Older people compared the demonstration of today with the Ashura Demonstration of 1979 which marks the downfall of the Shah regime and even said that it outnumbered that event. The militia burnt a house themselves to find the excuse to commit violence. People neutralized their tactic to a large degree by their solidarity, their wisdom and their denial to enage in any violent act."
-Quoted on Andrew Sullivan's, The Daily Dish

Palin/Letterman Update:
Sarah Palin's acceptance of David Letterman's second apology reads something like this:

"I'd like to thank young women everywhere and our brave troops that make moments like this possible for me. And also, equality, free speech, evolution and respect."