Sending them manuscripts, publishing nonsense on the arxiv, reducing the overall SNR of research.
Look, I’m not saying the cranks should be dragged out back and shot, just that they are a net negative.
Political thinking that probably predates the Egyptian pyramids: If you empower people with freedom, it will be abused in a way that produces some suffering for everyone that wouldn't be had the freedom not been granted. There would definitely be tradeoffs to having a culture of free and open learning, research, and knowledge sharing, unguarded by institutions.