Normative and descriptive statements: the moral and political implications

Definitions

Descriptive statement

A statement on a matter of fact, whether scientific, historical, or some other kind
Can be true or untrue, correct or incorrect, accurate or inaccurate, etc

Normative statement

A judgment on what ought or ought not to be, what is beautiful, ugly, just, unjust, right, wrong, etc

Implications

Both kinds of statement can be controversial or unpopular. But only a normative statement can rightly be judged to be evil.

Therefore, a normative statement is the only kind of statement that can justly be subject to censorship or moderation of any kind. Descriptive statements are not politically relevant except (in the case of a forum) off-topic rules, rules against personal attacks, and other rules meant to keep things sane.

This is not to say that I think all politicians (online or offline) are obligated to follow these principles. Merely that I consider these principles to be how a space ought to be governed, especially if it is a debating forum, and especially if it is a geographic polity such as a country.

Examples

Use your imagination