Why can't hate literature be banned in the U.S.A.? There is a ton of stuff on the Net that is racist?

Answer 1

It's called freedom. We don't have to read it or believe it. A quote comes to mind: "I may not agree with what you say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it". That makes sense to me.
Of course the Nazis' burned books in World War ll, and the world was horrified.

Answer 2

As others have pointed out, the First Amendment to the Constitution prohibits the government from passing laws that prohibit freedom of speech or the press.

This is in place largely because the English tried to squelch free speech and press in the Colonies.

There are exceptions, as some have suggested: You can't incite violence through speech or press (you can't say, let's get together and kill all those [whoevers]).

When you consider that the current administration of the US has repeatedly said that anyone who disagrees with anything the President does is a terrorist who hates America, allowing free speech (however hateful or wrong that speech is) is clearly a Very Good Thing.

The idea, as others have suggested, is that in "the Marketplace of Ideas" (where ideas are in competition with each other in the minds of citizens), the best will win out.

Jefferson said we'd be better off with no government and a free press, than with a government and no free press. How radical is THAT?

In these day when the "news" people in print and over the airwaves are nothing more than stenographers for the current administration, the web is the only place where competing views have any chance of being heard.

Answer 3

I also totally disagree with hate literature. It can't be banned in the U.S. because of our right to freedom of speech. If we ban anyone from saying or publishing what they think we would be violating their rights. Another way of looking at this is if we start banning one group a domino effect would follow and we would end up being a Socialist country instead of a Democratic one. I think of it this way, we don't have to look at or listen to their rhetoric, unfortunately though we do have to accept their right to express it.

Answer 4

You can't write laws that violate the Constitution. The First Amendment protects the freedom of speech and freedom of the press, and the courts routinely say that this covers the internet.

Otherwise, we let the government determine what they find offensive. Perhaps newspaper editorials criticising the President? While it's uncomfortable, it does go both ways, and you have the Constitutionally-protected right to refer to racists as "boneheads."

Answer 5

Because any such ban would violate the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of speech and would be struck down by the courts as unconstitutional.

Our founding fathers believed that the best way to suppress stupid ideas is to allow them to be freely expressed in public so that everyone could see how stupid these ideas really are. Trying to suppress ideas often makes these idea more popular.

Answer 6

Because we have freedom of speach. If you take away that right just a little, where do you stop? If you ban hate speech, do you ban offensive speach next? The anything someone doesn't agree with? Eventually you can't say anything at all - it's a slippery slope.

Answer 7

who says it is hate literature-- it is what one person or a group believe in and are standing up for and because people have freedom of speech there is nothing to be done except try to ignore it it is those that fight are the ones that make it more popular and better known

Answer 8

Even though we might not agree with what those racist biggots are saying,
They do have a right to say it, just like we can say what we want,

Not JUST freedom of speech, but freedom of press too, they have the rights, and freedoms to write and post what they want.
It sucks definately, but it's a two way street. best thing to do, is come up with a rebuttle for them so tight that t you make them look like uneducated hicks.

Answer 9

There's this paper called the Constitution. It has a First Amendment which provides for Freedom of Speech, no matter how wrong-headed or idiotic it may be, so long as it does not DIRECTLY incite violence or emergency (Shouting "Fire" in a crowded theater is not protected).

Answer 10

Because the Internet, for better or for worse, is the last bastion of free speech. I don't agree with the hate literature, but, as Voltaire said, I'd defend to the death their right to say it.