Does this movie offend you? Good.

From movie like "Jojo Rabbit" to modern classics like "Blazing Saddles," "The Producers," and "Team America: World Police," and centuries-old landmark works such as Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal," satire has long helped us examine real social and political topics using humor that's often absurd and sometimes offensive.

Satire, along with its cousins like irony, allows us to grapple with some of our most dangerous, difficult ideas. The audio-visual medium of film provides ample opportunity to explore complex and often uncomfortable themes. For instance, "Jojo Rabbit," in which a young German boy has an imaginary friend who takes the form of a murderous dictator, uses stinging jokes, ridiculous plots, and farcical characters to address serious issues.

In a word, this is speech—and the freedom of speech that permits satirical novels and boundary-pushing movies is crucial for using creativity to advance social and political dialogue that improves our world.

Yes, this speech can often be offensive. It can be inappropriate. It can upset us. But its importance is why we must delve into the complex and hotly debated subject of freedom of speech.