What are the negative effects of establishing hate speech laws ?

Question

Hate Speech laws would punish people for using abusive or derogatory rhetoric to incite hate.

for example these laws could outlaw groups as the KKK.

Constitution aside - are there any logical argument that can be given to oppose legislation that simulates hate speech laws.

Answer 1

you would have to define what it is? what is hate and what is a question that provokes negative emotion?

Answer 2

There are many negative effects of establishing hate speech laws and these effects are very important profound.
It would directly violate the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
It would subject peoples speech no matter who they are to the subjective interpretation of a government entity's interpretation of hate speech. Even though one may not like a message being communicated it is still free speech.
I believe it would promote a violent backlash against the government in certain anti-government circles thereby promoting domestic unrest.
It would plausibly and in reality set the stage for the further erosion of other rights in the future.
P.S. I happen to think that there is no more logical arguement against this than the fact it is unconstitutional. Why brush that aside so easily?

Answer 3

Leave everything as it is! Don't alter any more laws concerning speech! A law is not going to control the hate within people duh?
You feel one way and say another to suit the purpose? Get it? Let the freedom of speech alone or we will not know the truth. If you let people speak freely you will know more, than if they hold it inside you will never know and then inevitabley secret organizations start like the KKK before started? Get it? Now that they are open we know where to find them and what about the Black militant groups they were killers too? Get over it pal! We need to focus on Americans and then police your own area. Sticks and Stones will hurt you not names, roll it off your back like a duck, but make sure you duck when the bullets fly? Because if you do what you are talking about that is what is a built up frustration that will cause a civil war. Good Luck

Answer 4

The funny thing is that the first legal group that would come to your defense in question would be the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union). This "liberal" group has even defended the rights of neo-nazis & klansmen to protest in Illinois. At the same time, with every freedom there should be an equal amount of responsibility. That means if there is a chance of a riot, or a chance of someone being killed on the streets that that act of freedom should be moved to a safer location or even postponed. While we all have our rights of self-expression, we still have obligations to the overall security & decency of our society.

Answer 5

Many more lawsuits, because people will decide that hate speech has been made against them when they want a quick buck.

Also, there will always be a politically motivated classification of what is "hate speech" and what is just harshly critical speech. Besides the obvious, like the KKK and so forth, it's hard to ensure that the law will be properly applied.

Answer 6

Its not just feeling that get hurt, Hate Speechs in site riots, get people hanged by trees and cut open and their insides hanging out and their four little childern blown up in a church that is what hate Speech does! We need those law because some people are so flockish that they follow without thinking and do stupid things!

So is having a picture of a burning flag, u shouldn't be a citizen either!

Answer 7

There are no negative effects to establishing hate speech laws any more than laws against yelling fire in a crowded theater or inciting rebellion or riot laws.

Answer 8

They are absolutely a violation of the first amendment! When they get away with chipping away at hate speech eventually they will include other kinds of speech as possible hate speech. Such as religious teachings toward homosexuals, Muslim women wearing head-scarfs, and on and on and on!

Answer 9

Too many people make a living doing just that. The problem is that it threatens everyone else.

Answer 10

Sigh. Hate speech is not protected under the US constitution according to the supreme court.

I see no negative effects other then false prosecutions.

Answer 11

"Hate speech" laws are against the First Amendment, and are unConstitutional. Those who seek to institute laws restricting anyone's freedom of speech are unAmerican, and do not deserve to be citizens.