This is going to be my little rant and rave page...first off, let me just talk about free speech.
Free Speech
We need more of it. Even if it is senseless drivel, much like this, it is still our right as humans, at least in the US. There is no way free speech can be taken away from us, so instead of going halfway on it, just make it what it is says it is..free speech. If you try a limit it, then you get all the arguements because, really, anything besides all free speech or no free speech is just opinion. Not everyone will be happy, that is a given, so instead of trying to satisfy everyone, just make it simple, and unfetter the right to free speech. If all the uptight, conservative citizens would realize that if they wouldn't go sticking their nose into other people's buisness, they wouldn't be offended. I'm not saying lewd obscenities should be plastered on billboards next door to day care centers. If those lewd obscenities were placed somewhere that the only people that see are them are the ones that want to, then whats the harm?
Religion
Religion in itself I think is a very important part of life. It provides security and explaination in life that many people need. When that same religion becomes destructive, however, I think that it should be ended. Christianity is my main example. Throughout the last 2000 years, more people have been killed in Christianity's name than any other religion. It is a religion of intolerance. The Bible is a hypocritical work written by dozens of people over hundreds of years. This give vague and conflicting views. This in turn leads to numerous interpretations. That gives birth to ignorant fools quoting scripture to justify slavery, bombing abortion clinics, and shooting gays. Even worse is the occasional cult nut that has all of his members live in a compound in Waco or drink arsenic laced juice. When a religion starts hurting more than helping, it is no longer a religion, it is an institution. I have seen so many ignorant, biased, idiots preaching on TV, and if even a fraction of the population gives creedence to what they say, we as a species are more harmed than helped.
I'll add more later because I'm not in a very bitter mood right now...