Bill Maher closed out Friday’s Real Time by making a case for protecting free speech—even when it’s uncomfortable. He argued that while flag burning might offend many, criminalizing it undermines a core American value. He also warned that censorship and punishment of speech could make the U.S. resemble the U.K., where people reportedly face arrests for contentious social media posts.
Maher quipped: “New Rule: You can love America and still be okay with burning the flag… Flag burning is free speech, and free speech is one of the key things that makes America great.” He challenged those who defend speech restrictions against the left but protest infringement when it comes from the right.
Highlighting perceived hypocrisy, Maher criticized President Trump’s lawsuits against media outlets for unfavorable coverage, saying that such tactics pose a threat to open debate and press freedom. He pointed to recent U.K. measures as cautionary examples of where society might head if speech is policed based on offense.
He praised comedian Ricky Gervais’s take: “If you don’t believe in a person’s right to say things that you might find ‘grossly offensive,’ then you don’t believe in freedom of speech.” Maher concluded, “ugly is the price of a freedom so great as speech.”
