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Is hate/offensive speech free speech?

The Supreme Court has indicated that it is; I agree with the Supreme Court. If freedom of speech means anything, it means the right to offend, and the right to tell people things they don’t want to hear.

As heathens, what are your viewpoints on “hate” speech?

DiegoS 4 Oct 7
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16 comments

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0

If there is hate there can be no love. If there is no love there can be no unity. If there is no unity, sigh!, oh, well, then, aaaahhhhlets-get-ready-to-rrruuummmble!!!

1

I personally do not like hate speak. I think there is a difference between offensive speak and hate speak. But I also believe in free speech. It is a very complicated dilemma. Maybe they should have some sort of law against using hate speaking to induce riots or any other harmful situations. Freedom to do something should not always mean there should be freedom of consequences if something bad happens because of it. Like bullies causing kids to commit suicide. The bullies need to learn this is wrong. Without punishment of some kind they will not learn.

DeiP Level 5 Oct 19, 2017

Acts of domestic violence are sparked by hateful and hurtful words. That is in the smallest unit of society . . . what more if you post your hatred and broadcast it in the multi-media?

1

Anything short of shouting "fire" in a crowded theater or making bomb threats is free speech.

BD66 Level 8 Oct 8, 2017
1

Hate speech or offensive speech must give an opportunity to explain itself and be debated. Like if i say i hate coconut and it should be wiped out of the earth, i must be able to defend my point on other than just the taste or the texture because in that case it is a useless opinion that has no weight. On the other hand if i have proof and people can get the same result on why the coconut whould be destroyed, in that case it's not just a empty opinion.

With regards the coconut, it's a very useful tree beneficial to all mankind. It's fruit and its juice has been medically and scientifically proven to contain elements beneficial to both humans and animals alike. All of its tree, from the leaves down to its roots has more uses than you could ever imagine, Nothing goes to waste. Even tidbits and scraps from the tree can be used as fertilizer.

2

yeah, they can say what they want even if its wrong

irresponsible and nasty words in speeches

1

No. Hate speech, in some cases (not all) can cause real damage to someone's emotional health.

I disagree, someone’s feelings should not supersede someone’s right to freedom of speech. If what someone says causes you emotional pain, you should mature mentally.

I said not in all cases, what I mean is when someone suffers truly from what someone else says. An example is in the Supreame Court case, Snyder vs Phelps when protesting a funeral caused serious damage.

@DiegoS I see your response as technically correct but unwise, uncaring and selfish to believe that you have the right to say what you want to anyone regardless if it hurts someones feelings. I expect that kind of response from an immature, unfeeling child who doesn't know or appeciate the power of words.

It does cause mental and physical health problems. In some court cases we hear of slander, moral and exemplary damages, mental anguish, irreparable personal damages, sleeplessness leading to multiple organ damage, etc., etc., all because of some nasty words irresponsibly blurted out.

2

Yes. Yes it is. If anyone says otherwise they are akin to the retards on the religious right back in the 90s that warned about the downfall of America, through the evil gay agenda. How ironically marvelous that decades later, it would be a gay Brit fighting for them.... that still blows my mind. Less so, than seeing the left liberals become the new intolerant hateful and violent status quo. Sad day.

2

It is free speech, but is also despicable and should be condemned by the rest of us. Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from the socisl consequences of that speech.

2

There is a huge difference between offensive speech and hate speech. Offensive speech is simply saying things (some) others don't want to hear, and that's a right that should be protected. The second, hate speech, is an attempt to make other people share your hate of a specific group of people, and is highly dangerous (hate speeches were the beginning of many genocides) and should be clearly banned in a modern democracy.
In a specifically religious setting, I use this little sentence as a reminder, a modification of a religious tenet I read of: "Hate (or laugh at) the belief, not (at) the believer".

MarcO Level 5 Oct 7, 2017

I agree.

3

I have a real challenge with this whole idea of "hate" speech." Hate speech has come to mean "anyone that disagrees with me."

If you lie to me, and I call you a liar, that's not hate speech. If I observe that you're acting awful toward another human being, that's not hate speech. If you're exemplifying traits of a bigoted person, and you get called out on that... that's still not hate speech.

We've set that bar so low that everyone who disagrees with us (or worse, hurts our feelings) is hateful and bigoted.

3

It is. However, I believe that in the US we must remember that freedom is speech as guaranteed by the Constitution only protects us against the Government silencing/punishing people for their speech. It does not mean that any person in the US can say anything they want to and not expect consequences from their workplace, their friends/family, the wider community, etc. I think many people forget that, causing them to use "freedom of speech" as a comeback when they face negative consequences for whatever hate speech they have spouted.

1

Yes.

People should be free to hate. People should be free to express it. Any claim to the contrary is "thought policing."

3

Yep, it is. My liking it is not a requirement, apparently.

Wanna say something offensive? (;

Zster Level 8 Oct 7, 2017
1

if people are allow to speak what they feel or are , then you know the real person and it's up to you to like or not like said person. you don't have to agree with them , but we need to know where said person really stands.

5

Yes, I like to think free speech came about to protect unpopular speech.

Tejas Level 8 Oct 7, 2017
4

I think mostly, that yes it is free speech. The exception to me would be, if the intent was to incite violence against another person or group, like with a direct threat. Then it becomes assault/battery.
"In most states, an assault/battery is committed when one person: 1) tries to or does physically strike another, or 2) acts in a threatening manner to put another in fear of immediate harm."

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