After much angst about having the Iranian president speak in the United States, the end result is about as clear an example of the value of free speech/free press that you could possibly look for.
To those who were critical of Columbia University in advance of the speech, remember this: the antidote to hateful or stupid speech is not shunning or silence, it is more speech, as widely distributed by free media as possible.
Debate and discourse are always better than silence, even when people disagree.