Freedom Isn't Free (Print Edition)

If you've published something that Larry Flynt finds offensive, it's safe to say you've gone more than a little wrong. In yesterday's Washington Post, the infamous publisher of Hustler offered an eloquent assessment of the way in which Newscorp owner Rupert Murdoch appears to have "not just [crossed] the line - he erased it" in the course of the phone-hacking/invasion of privacy scandal that's spreading like a zombie apocalypse. Whatever his character issues, and however offensive some of his publications are, Flynt is a passionate advocate for a free press, in particular its ability ability to expose public figures whose private actions run counter to their public proclamations. The whole piece is worth reading, but the key lesson is quite succinct: "One cannot live off the liberty and benefits of a free press while ignoring the privacy of the people."