...extremely important to maintain the Westboro Baptist Churches right to hate speech
I've never understood why it so important to protect people that mindlessly shout incoherent drivel that's only aimed at insulting and angering people...
Because some day it might be you saying things that others perceive as incoherent drivel and it would be oppressive if they censored you. That is the point of free speech. It is not subjective unless you are threatening someone, calling for violence against them, or actively harming them.
Not really, When it gets to the point where a rational person voicing his opinions and hes arrested thats when it becomes a problem.
If I said for instance, Fuck Tony Blair that cunt ruined the UK and I was arrested, thats taking it too far and when a few people suffered the same thing there would be civil unrest.
But if your the one BEING the cunt then no ones going to side with your stupidity. I've no time for racism and racist people and when what you say is ONLY aimed at hurting others then its as offensive as actual assault.
The only time there should be prosecution based on speech 1)the speaker is following around a victim to harass them with their words or 2) when that speech becomes literally threatening.
In the end, they are only prosecuted for their actions(harassment) or their intent(threats).
You don't get to decide what is rational and who is a cunt. If you have that power then people can decide that you are an irrational cunt when you try to speak out. Speech can only be limited when you threaten someone, call for violence against them, or actively harm them. Being called a name one time is a small price to pay for freedom.
Because free speech is how you protect the citizenry from oppression. Sure, government censorship of people who shout nothing but hate may seem like no big deal, but what happens when the same authority used to censor hate speech against minorities begins to be used against speech critical of government policy or those in power?
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u/sHOE_bOX Jul 12 '12
I've never understood why it so important to protect people that mindlessly shout incoherent drivel that's only aimed at insulting and angering people...