Free Speech vs. Hate Speech Essay - 1362 Words

Throughout history, the United States Constitution has been put to the test over the issue of free speech. The First Amendment states, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Even though free speech is one of the core American values proudly embedded in each citizen, some poopAmericans find themselves torn between whether or not to limit the freedom of speech on behalf of hate speech. Most law-abiding citizens disagree with hate speech, but must realize even speech that promotes hate, racism, and even crime†¦show more content†¦According to the University of Colorado, many political jurisdictions have enacted laws that forbid destructive speech. These laws give the police power to investigate persons suspect of committing hate speech. If found gu ilty, the persons are tried and punished according to the law. Although many insist that hate speech should be illegal, the First Amendment still stands; the right of free speech applies to every citizen of the United States and if restrictions are set, then that liberty is taken away. Even though hate speech can be damaging to the targeted victims, it still cannot be set to a standard or principle because it is hard to define what is and is not hate speech. Hate speech is so wide-ranging and vast, no limit can be set to regulate it. What some groups may consider to be hateful and demeaning, others groups deem to be their founding principles and beliefs. A study taken place at University of Colorado quotes, Often, when hate speech prohibitions are in place, people engaged in serious intergroup conflicts simply refuse to talk at all, preventing constructive problem solving and allowing tensions to build. American Civil Liberties Union suggests the best way to counterattack hate speech is to not censor it, but to respond with more moral speech. ACLU goes by the principles that the rights of free speech are indivisible: Restricting the speech of one group or individual jeopardizes everyones rights because the sameShow MoreRelatedFree 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 MoreFree Speech Vs Hate Speech Essay769 Words   |  4 PagesFree speech versus hate speech is a very widespread debate as there are convincing arguments on both sides that are very compelling. Although there are many points commonly used to back up the argument that are false and inaccurate. All Americans have a right to freedom of religion, speech, press, petition, and assembly as depicted in the first amendment, but the exceptions to freedom of speech have never directly been acknowledged by the U.S. Supreme Court . The common slippery-slope argument forRead MoreThe Freedom Of Hate Speech Is Not Freedom Speech1143 Words   |  5 PagesHate Speech is not Freedom Speech Between August 11th and August 12th of 2017, the world watched the disturbance news of what was going on in Charlottesville, Virginia. The horrific videos and images left the world in shock. 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Most people will agree under one definition or another that hate speech is a socially deviant activityRead MorePaper on Freedom for the Thought That We Hate825 Words   |  4 PagesPaper on Freedom for the Thought that we Hate In the book Freedom for the Thought that we Hate, author Anthony Lewis takes a simply phrased law, the First Amendment and shows how complex freedom of speech really is once put into the real world of freedom, as we know it. He shows through his rejections of absolutism, strong support towards freedom restriction, and objective analysis of Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, that the United States press is unlike any other in the world. Lewis rejectsRead MoreSpeech On Freedom Of Speech1484 Words   |  6 Pagesof Speech Professor Hunt Culver Stockton College Freedom of Speech Americans have many freedoms that people in other countries can only wish they had. Just imagine a life where you could possibly be killed for speaking your mind and stating your opinion, other countries are living lives like that. According to Katy Davis, The United States ratified the first amendment on December 15th 1791 (Davis, n.d). We as a country don’t know where the government draws the line between hate speechRead MoreWe Must Stop Hate Speech1709 Words   |  7 Pages During the turbulent tides of the 2016 election, the question of whether or not hate speech is protected under the First Amendment has been brought up multiple times. Hate speech is defined by the American Bar Association as â€Å"speech that offends, threatens, or insults groups, based on race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or other traits.† One side argues that hateful comments should not and are not protected due to the oppression they bring. After all, why wouldRead More The Controversy Over Internet Censorship Essay1152 Words   |  5 Pagescan be accessed at the touch of a button: anything from encyclopedias, to surveys and essays, to articles from magazines, and adult sites.   Anyone who pays for their Internet service is usually offered space for his or her own web page, and even many free services provide space for personal web pages.   All of this available space can be used for any number of reasons: posting newsletters for community groups, advertising for businesses, or just voicing one’s opinion.   For those of us who know how toRead More Censorship and the Internet Essay1213 Words   |  5 Pagesgreater space for free expression in countries where traditional broadcast and print media are restricted† (64). Free expression is a very guarded privilege to United States citizens. Private citizens and businesses can censor what is accessed on their computers to protect themselves, so why would it not be acce ptable for the government to censor what is accessed in order to protect the citizens of the United States of America. Some believe this is an infringement of free speech, while others findRead MoreFree Speech : The Importance Of The Freedom Of Speech1079 Words   |  5 PagesFree speech in my mind, should be universally protected, except when that speech turns into hate against any particular minority and incites violence that is not needed for the safety of the public at large. Freedom of speech serves to be a fundamental democratic right that affords every citizen to participate in the United States constitutional democracy. It is a vital tool because it can be used by every person, rich, poor, black or white, to voice their concerns and rejections of the federal or