Support Hitch!

The Capital Times editorial board runs an articulate statement defending Hitchens' upcoming trip to Madison. Indeed Hitchens is an essential player who we should follow very carefully. I'm impressed that both local papers have been quick to report his agreement to speak here, and I detect excitement in the air. Some of that is due to the success of God is not Great, to be sure, but Hitch coming to Madison is heart-pounding news anyday. Money quote:

"Many disagree with Hitchens' views -- we disagreed strongly with his support for attacking Iraq, and he has certainly taken his hits from many quarters for his ardent atheism. But we should all recognize that he is one of the age's most fascinating thinkers. And his determination to bluntly express viewpoints that are so frequently forbidden makes him an essential player in a national debate that is so frequently emptied of meaning by its caution."