Hate Speech - 1536 Words

Hate Speech Essay In the first amendment of the United States constitution, American citizens are guaranteed the right to free speech. This is a fundamental right of American law, and one of the foundations of the U.S. Constitution. It is also the breeding ground for one of the most widely debated issues in America: What, if any, measures should be put into place to regulate hateful language? Most people will agree under one definition or another that hate speech is a socially deviant activity and worthy of some form of punishment. However, each persons definition of hate speech is different from the next. Some might say that there is no such thing as hate speech, and that because of the first amendment any and all speech should be†¦show more content†¦constitution to say it. However, there is a difference between these two types of viewpoints, as to the level and scale that their views can be expressed. For example, if a civil rights leader makes a speech at a rally about equality an d human justice, he is contributing positively to the crowd at hand and spreading a larger statement of peace to the community. This sends a positive moral message to those involved. On the other hand, if a white supremacist speaks at a rally and spreads a message of hate and violence and in doing so inspires people to act in a hateful and violent way, then that person has committed an immoral act by inspiring other people to act immorally. If you consider these examples in a historical sense, one could make the same observations about Gandhi and Hitler. Both had extremely powerful messages that were spread to a large amount of people, though one inspired people to act and live in peace, while the other inspired people to discriminate and kill. When a persons words cross the line from general speech into inspiring other people to action, the effect of those words becomes much more important, and in the event that they inspire people to act immorally, the person who has incited them into action has broken the law. However, this does not mean that said individual does not have the right to express their views, legally. Because there is nothing illegal about speaking, no words will ever be illegal to say in the U.S. WhenShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Hate Speech1729 Words   |  7 PagesThis paper is a comparative analysis of hate speech laws between Japan and the United States. I will analyze hate rhetoric stemming from the years 1980-to present day. Today s political climate has generated a rebirth of hate speech in both countries. Hate speech is a concern for those who believe in the right to free speech and expression. I will outline the historical background that expands on the usage of technology that incites hateful rhetoric towards targeted groups residing within theseRead MoreHate Speech769 Words   |  4 PagesHate Speech, Should it be Regulated? Hate speech, what is it? The definition of hate speech, according to Mari J. Matsuda, author of Assaultive Speech and Academic Freedom, is Â…(a word of group of words) of which is to wound and degrade by asserting the inherent inferiority of a group (151). In my own words hate speech is a humiliation and demeaning slur of words specifically used to disgrace a person for their race, religion, or sexual habits. There is now a controversy if hate speech shouldRead More It’s Time to Limit Restrict Hate Speech Essay901 Words   |  4 PagesIt’s Time to Limit Restrict Hate Speech Free speech is the backbone that holds democracy together.   Without a free speech, ideas would not be challenged, governments would not be kept in check, and citizens would not be free.   John Stuart Mill said once that, â€Å"If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person then he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.†( RoleffRead MoreThe Freedom Of Speech : Hate Speech1187 Words   |  5 PagesAn Introduction to the Marketplace of Ideas Freedom of speech, along with the freedom of the press, have both become the two most important rights for each American citizen to defend. The First Amendment defends five of the following freedoms: the freedom of religion, the freedom of assembly, the freedom of the press, the freedom of petition, and the freedom of speech (First Amendment Center). All of these freedoms are equally important. However, even when people in a democratic society better acknowledgeRead MoreEssay On Hate Speech1784 Words   |  8 Pages including virtually unrestricted information flow, unlimited communication possibilities, anonymity, and free speech. Unfortunately, such an open concept of the World Wide Web leaves it open to a wide range of exploitation; namely, in the era of social media platforms, created specifically to facilitate conversation among the users, one of the most common forms of abuse is hate speech. Due to the complexity of the term itself and many legal and practical issues, regulati ng such content online isRead MoreHate Speech Essay1246 Words   |  5 PagesHatespeech Hate Speech and the People who use it Hate speech; is this the type of speech that the First Amendment protects? Should this type of speech be defended? If this type of speech is censored on college campuses, have the students lost their right to the First Amendment? What kind of damage does hate speech cause physical and emotional? Who does hate speech affect? Is hate speech protected by the first amendment? According to Charles R. Lawrence III, it is not. â€Å"When racist speech takesRead MoreFree Speech vs Hate Speech Essay1647 Words   |  7 PagesFree Speech vs. Harmful Hate Speech Freedom of speech is instilled at the beginning of the Bill of Rights and it allows citizens of the United States to express their opinions without being afraid of what might happen to them, much like in other countries. Many times people are directly or indirectly harmed by others’ actions that are considered a right under the freedom of speech clause. Though, some people worry that if we do not allow for complete freedom of speech, it is hard to figure outRead MorePersuasive Essay On Hate Speech1612 Words   |  7 Pages In the name of free speech, hate speech should not be tolerated. Hate speech has devastating effects on the people and communities it is targeted at. Left unchecked hate speech can lead to harmful and violent effects. Over the past few years, the effects of hate speech used on women, homosexuals, ethnic groups and religious minorities have become more and more apparent. Hate speech can be very divisive in many of the situations it is used, depending on w ho interprets the expression can vary howRead MorePros And Cons Of Hate Speech1416 Words   |  6 Pages In today’s society the matter of Freedom of Speech is being questioned. The use of â€Å"Hate Speech† is being used to identify words and actions that often target ethnic and racial groups, those with gender related differences, and the beliefs of others in general. Is it acceptable to express ones ideas and actions if it brings about distention among a nation? Should it be acceptable to destroy symbolic icons on which American history was founded? Is it permissible to single out individuals withRead MoreThe Constitutionality of Hate Speech Essay3494 Words   |  14 PagesIn order to reduce the astonishing number of hate crimes in the United States, the Federal Government should restrict hate speech, and the expressions of hateful ideas, in all its forms, in all places, both public and private. However, it is imperative that hate speech be defined first. Con trary to some opinions, it is possible to accurately define hate speech, because hate speech does not actually have many elusive forms. Hate speech includes fighting words as defined in Chaplinsky vs. New Hampshire