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Thursday, August 17, 2017

Letter to the Editor: Hate speech is not the same as free speech

To the Editor:

I don’t agree that hate speech is the same as free speech. Hate speech is aimed at a person or a group to intimidate them and to arouse fear. It is a form of bullying, assault and terrorism. It is an incitement to violence. It certainly wasn’t what our forefathers had in mind in the context of the rule of tyranny and dictatorship they were rejecting. Free speech was a right to speak aloud opinion, hopefully after due consideration, without fear of being arrested.

Vicki Westberg
Shoreline


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1 comment:

  1. Maggie WillsonAugust 18, 2017 at 7:11 AM

    If you outlaw "hate speech", who gets to define what's "hate speech" and what's "free speech"?

    Is it automatically "hate speech" if someone is offended?

    Is it "hate speech" to talk about "illegal aliens", instead of saying "undocumented people"?

    Is it "hate speech" to call Donald Trump an "an orange fascist nazi"?

    BTW, the Supreme Court disagrees with you:

    https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/08/16/cross-burning-funeral-protests-hate-speech-enjoys-broad-protection/573232001

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