To me he was much more than a comedian - he was a champion of Free Speech - our right to speak freely. He showed me that you should be strong enough of mind to be able to say anything or hear anything - and to be able to handle it without falling down on the floor, curling up into the fetal position, and crying like a little baby about it - it's "just words." All of my life I have watched people freak out over an alternative view point expressed out loud, and it was refreshing for me to see a guy like Carlin stand up and say ANYTHING that came to mind. His ability to make even the most taboo subjects humorous changed my whole life, and many is the time I have used his example to find something funny in even the worst of situations. From his famous "7 words you can't say" to his views on politics, you'll never say he wasn't hilarious! Here's a funny sound bite of his thoughts on religion!