[rant]

The fact that we can freely debate these issues, whether here on the internet or in the semi-dignified forum of a courtroom, is the truly amazing thing. No religious "police" shoving Korans down our throats. No jackbooted thugs breaking down our doors. Just you, me, a panel of twelve in Florida and a 219-year-old parchment known as the Bill of Rights.

Through most of our history, people have been subject to arbitrary judgments from remote autocrats arrogating unto themselves a pretend authority to rule based upon a "Divine Right" of kings, the "Manifest Will of God" or some other nonsense. In large parts of the world, this is still the case.

This morning, 27 Million Nepalis awoke to discover that they were no longer the subjects of a king, but Citizens of a Republic. True, the show for now is being run by a bunch of fuzzy-headed Maoists, but that's not the point. The important thing is that, by fits and starts, freedom slowly, inexorably, advances even in the most remote places of the earth.

Forty years ago, they martyred Lenny Bruce for being funny while making sense. Max Hardcore will likely be convicted by a Tampa jury for videos that are certainly in bad taste if not necessarily criminal in nature. The Judge, God bless her, has likely committed enough reversible error to enable the 11th Circuit to remand the case sometime next year, by which point a new DOJ will likely agree to drop the case, whoever wins in November. Still and all, it's progress.



[/rant]