All my favorite artists: Van Gogh, Matisse, Charles Manson

Next month, Sin City Gallery will feature a collection created entirely by convicted serial killer John Wayne Gacy. No, this isn't just a Vegas thing; for those who don't know, so-called "Murderabilia" (art created by serial killers) is highly collectable. In fact, as featured in the 2000 documentary "Collectors," some enthusiasts devote their lives to collecting artwork created by murderers.

In Vegas and elsewhere, this trend has sparked controversy. On one side of the argument are victims' rights advocates who insist that this hobby glorifies killers and stomps on the memory of their victims. On the other side are collectors who argue that displaying this art is free speech and fascinating. Furthermore, profits from the sale of this artwork often, at least in part, go to charities that benefit victims and their families.

As a response to the Las Vegas opening, advocates are providing a competing show, which will instead display photographs of murder victims and act as a kind of memorial.

As a life-long advocate of free speech in all forms and someone who finds true crime television interesting, I support the gallery's right to display this collection. While I understand how victims' family members could be disturbed by this, I don't understand how they equate these art displays with desecration of the memory of the serial killer's victims. This mindset is the same one that leads to capital punishment: Though we as a society would like to forget it, serial killers are human and should be afforded the same basic dignity as the rest of us.