The US should probably consider banning hate speech like the rest of the free world.

[Terminate421]

As much as I despise the Westboro baptist church, free speech should be allowed every where.

If I were to install regulations at all there would be no protesting of funerals. Insulting the dead is about as bad as picking on someone because they have special needs

 

[ChildishLegacy]

It's illegal to harass somebody with hate speech, i.e. you should have the freedom to walk to work in the morning without somebody yelling at you because of your skin colour, you cannot defend that with free speech, because it is very upsetting for the victim, and it is pretty much abuse, I'd rather have scumbags that harass minorities be punished than let this go unchanged, but sure, let people say all the ridiculous things they want, as long as they're not personally attacking somebody and making their life a misery.

Also a lot of people here seem to have a very emotional attachment to the word 'freedom', as in, they would give their life for it. You're just being silly, the world doesn't work like that.

 

[Cowabungaa]

I like the oxymoron in your title.

But it's true. The US is the only first world country (and I don't think there are even any second world countries where it's legal) where hate speech is legal.

Umm...
Look up oxymoron...

I didn't say that it wasn't an oxymoron.

Then your quoting me is pointless. Because I clearly dont care how many other countries have laws against hate speech, its still wrong.

Except that the US too has them, in the form of anti-slander laws.

It also seems to work pretty well over here, a public speaker here is not allowed to rally people to do damage or hurt someone. I can't see something wrong with that really, inciting such a thing.

 

[CrazyGirl17]

I don't mind freedom of speech... it's just when assholes use it to harass people then it pisses me off. *SIGH*

 

[AquaAscension]

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/09/10364954-anti-gay-westboro-baptist-church-to-protest-at-slain-powell-boys-funeral

If you're too lazy to read the article, there was an incident recently where a man killed himself and his two sons after losing custody of them. (This same man was under investigation for the disappearance of his wife two years ago). The Westboro Baptist Church is going to be holding an anti-gay protest at their funeral, because they claim that the boy's deaths were an act of vengeance from God because of Washington's recent support of homosexual rights.

And it's completely legal. Go America.

Thats actually suppose to be one of the perks of being an American, that you can hold and voice any personal held belief you want provided your not hurting anyone else.

Besides, WBC are just a minor nusciance, they don't do anything but protest. If people (Media) just ignored them for once they'd probably stop.

Or someone could take one for the team and murder them... Mind you, said Gunman would have to go to jail, but he'd go to jail a national hero dammit!!!!

Them stopping is one of two possible outcomes.

The other outcome is they do something even crazier than being them in order to get attention. Attention in America is like gold. And American's are pretty damn greedy. All that glitters, after all.

 

[Crazycat690]

I say let us be even more free, if someone wants to protest at a funeral then allow the mourning people to beat them to death to help them handle the sorrow. Win-win.

 

[Bloodtrozorx]

"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." As disgusting as Fred Phelps may be and no matter how stupid racism is we cannot ban such speech without compromising the very basis of our country. As hated and pitied as we may be in America it would be irresponsible to toss out the constitution to quiet unpopular speech. As much as I hate Fred I cannot agree with the restriction of free speech.

 

[rcs619]

Freedom of speech doesnt have to mean freedom to do anything. afaik the law here in England says you have freedom of speech but are not allowed to incite hate or violence. your allowed to have and speak racist sexist anti gay or whatever you want your not just not allowed to call for attacks on those groups.

I think if you could go back in time to the drawing up of the American constitution and ask them what sort of things this whole freedom of speech is meant to protect and allow they might be pretty horrified at how its now being used as an excuse to attempt to remove all the rights from some people.

...That is exactly how it is in America too.

Incitements to violence are not covered under free speech and ARE illegal (there are a few members of the Occupy movement that got charged with that).

Speech that puts others in direct danger is illegal too. You can't yell "FIRE" in a crowded building, because you're putting people in danger as they rush to get out. If someone get's hurt in the scramble, you are very much liable.

Britain is a free country. In many respects it is significantly more free than America. And yet if someone goes off on a racist rant, using certain terms which are simply not called for, well, they can be charged for it. And that is right.

That kind of thing is right as long as you agree with it. So long as you agree with what is "Not called for". Maybe you trust your government more than I do, because I'd never trust mine to decide what is "right" for people to say. Have you seen the US government? It's a madhouse full of sell-outs and zealots.

Freedom should only extend to the point where you are limiting other peoples freedoms. So yes, say what you want. Until the point when what you are saying is limiting another persons ability to be who they are, to live in a land where you can love without fear, practice faith without persecution.

That is how it already works in America. You have freedom of speech, until you begin to infringe on someone's rights. You can't incite violence, you can't put people in direct danger, you can't walk up to someone and call them racist names or harass them because of their religion, and you can't do things like walk down the middle of the street at night yelling and screaming and disturbing the whole neighborhood. There are limits on free speech in America.

As much as it sucks, the Westburough Baptists are doing none of those. They aren't directly inciting violence, they aren't creating a situation that endangers others. They have obtained the proper permits to be at that location to protest. It is morally despicable, sure... but they aren't actually hurting anyone or violating the law. In most states they go to, they are required to be a certain distance away from the funeral. The only people who give them attention are the media... which is what they want. They're trolls and attention-whores. That's all that they are.

 

[superstringz]

The right to express my opinion, no matter how objectively wrong it is, no matter how emotionally abusive it is, is perhaps the most sacred right here in the US. Don't take it for granted. Don't think that its ever ok to censor people. Because thats what it is. What the opposing stance is suggesting is giving the government the power to censor opinions. Which is no different than SOPA/PIPA nonsense we were up in arms about 5 minutes ago.

Grow a thicker skin and show some spine. People are assholes, this is nothing new, so grow up and deal with it. As long as they aren't threatening to harm you, or inciting a panic, then there is no need to get the government involved: America does not need a nannie state to tuck us in at night.

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

No one likes the Westboro church (isnt it just a family group?), and I would like someone to give them a taste of their own medicine. What they do is callous and insensitive, regardless of what they believe. If they hate gay people, fine, but do they need to protest it at a funeral? An if you have banners stating inflammatory things then we should be free to react accordingly. To confront them, tear down the signs ad kick the shit out of them. That church would love it im sure, they want a reaction and they would get it.

But spouting race and homophobic hatred is against the law in the UK. You can be arrested for it. Sometimes i wonder if thats more to save the person from get beaten up for it.

But i guess thats the difference. You can ignore a protest, just walk on by. But if someone is in your face spouting hatred, then thats different and thats what the law is against. Thing is, if that group hate gays, fine, but why keep protesting a spread hate? Nazis cant print anti jewish or anti black litrature so why do westboro get away with it? I guess their is a fine like between what is an isnt acceptable.

 

[WanderingFool]

Hate speech is still protected by Free speech. An unfortunate evil. Really, the best solution (other than God or just some guy waiting for all of the WBC to be in their main building before blowing it the fuck up) is to have a counter speech... or look up any number of ways that people have fucked over WBC on TVTropes. I would say directional speakers with some religous music blasting right at them.

There are ways to handle groups like WBC without taking away free speech.

 

[Ledan]

Woah! What's wrong with this forum?
Hate speech should be illegal. Like the op said, its illegal in most first world countries.
You are free to do whatever you want, to yourself. when it come to other people, the law steps in and puts limits.
You are not allowed to kill, steal, or assault people. False advertising is illegal. And in a similar manner, hate speech is illegal. If you stand on a soapbox and say "We should kill all Arabs, cause they're the cause of AIDS", someone should stop you. It's first of all a lie, and you are inciting people to do violence.
Like these forums. The're great because people restrain themeslves from insulting one another, because it is regulated. Go to look at youtube, people say whatever they want. Hate speech can lead to real world violence, suicides, etc.

 

[Luke Cartner]

I've read alot of these posts claiming you are not free if you ban hate speech...
Well my country of Australia is by no means utopia however I would not consider myself free in any sense of the word if I lived in a country that tolerated hate speech.

Definitely not free from bigotry, definitely not free from fear from persecution for myself or my friends for our belief's or simply.
As that is all hate speech is, fear and intimidation tactics against people who disagree with you.

Just because it is private citizens persecuting and intimidating you instead of the government, probably makes you less free not more...

 

[j0frenzy]

Eh. We tried something like that once. Technically, fighting words are still not constitutionally protected, but it was a vague term that was created to arrest protesters in the 1930s and 40s. Then again, the way the Supreme Court limited the fighting words doctrine was weirder and more confusing.
In short, no. I'm rather fine with my current levels of what is and is not protected speech. I'm rather happy to protect any speech unless it presents a state of imminent lawlessness (the current standard created in Brandenburg v. Ohio). It still allows the government to act in the most extreme circumstances without opening it to abuse.
Free speech rights. They're kind of weird.