What is with all of this hate speech that is coursing through the veins of our society of late? It seems that people are spewing all sorts of heinous vitriol in the name-of their religion. Not that this is anything new. I had just hoped that society had come a bit further than this, since the days of the Inquisition.
Today, the Huffington Post reported on George Michael being hospitalized with pneumonia, which, in itself would have been worthy of a mention, however the story was accompanied by some truly disturbing hate speech. See for yourself here, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/29/george-michael-hospitalized-christians-for-a-moral-america_n_1118654.html?ref=tw
Also today, on twitter, a self professed Christian porn star had these choice words for a terminal cancer patient in her own industry.
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advocate genocide
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publicly incite hatred
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wilfully promote hatred
against an “identifiable group.”
An identifiable group is defined as any section of the public distinguished by:
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colour
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race
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religion
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ethnic origin
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sexual orientation
The Criminal Code provisions are intended to prohibit the public distribution of hate propaganda. Private speech is not covered by the provisions.
For example, “advocating genocide” includes publicly arguing that members of an identifiable group should be killed. Willfully promoting hatred can only be committed by communicating statements other than in a private conversation. And inciting hatred is only prohibited if statements are communicated in a public place.
Online communications that advocate genocide or willfully promote or incite hatred are likely to fall within the provisions because the Internet is a public network.
This is something that Ann Coulter found out personally. When she wanted to speak at a university in Ontario recently.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-rowe/sorry-ann-coulter-canadas_b_513865.html
Though, when she went back home, she claimed SHE was the victim of a hate crime.
I am a believer in freedom of speech, but not when it puts someone in harm’s way. Hate speech in the name of religion, well, if you’re going to claim to be better than the rest of us, then you shouldn’t be allowed to spread hatred, ignorance and obscenity like the Westboro Baptist Church, the Christian porn star and the ironically named Christians For A Moral America.
Although, if you keep it up, you’ll just be making more atheists like me.
Agree with you…people should keep their personal opinions about others in their own heads,……
True, but if I had done so, then there wouldn’t have been a blog post today.
To accept the exercise of power by a government of one’s allies, one must also accept the same exercise by a government of one’s enemies. To accept the suppression of speech found morally objectionable by a government whose ideology you support, you must also accept the suppression of speech found morally objectionable by a government whose ideology you oppose. I suspect you don’t want to do that.
Please read: http://candst.tripod.com/tnppage/baptist.htm. What you are reading here is the letter written to Thomas Jefferson asking for the establisment clause. It was written by a Chruch!!!
Please also note: http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9806/danpre.html
This is Jefferson’s response, saying that the establisment clause would restrict only actions not opinions.
The restriction of free speech has never ended well for any society.
Restriction of free speech will also restrict the good that comes out of certian groups.
I am talking to someone on another blog about a tee shirt which says “f##k God”, would you consider that hate speech?
I don’t consider the tee shirt hate speech… I am an atheist. But also because it doesn’t do any of the following.
advocate genocide
publicly incite hatred
wilfully promote hatred
against an “identifiable group.”
An identifiable group is defined as any section of the public distinguished by:
colour
race
religion
ethnic origin
sexual orientation
I guess it wasn’t clear that I am also a Canadian, so my opinion on the American constitution is an outsider’s perspective and in no way a threat to your way of life.
Would you consider it Hate Speach if it said “f##k science”, F##k Buddah” F##k Darwin”?
I also do not do the things listed:
advocate genocide
publicly incite hatred
wilfully promote hatred
against an “identifiable group.”
What is the purpose of that list.
Under Identifiable group is “religion”.
Is it OK then to show hate towards Christians?
Do we somehow deserve it?
Still don’t consider those examples hate speech.
The purpose of that ‘list’ is that it is the law that I, and my fellow Canadians are required to follow.
I don’t believe that I showed any hatred towards Christians, unless you are referring to the title of this blog, which was a joke. I was merely pointing out that the examples of hate speech that I cited in this blog were somehow religiously motivated and that seems ironic, if not hypocritical to me.
No need to worry, I wasn’t persecuting all Christians, just the ones I mentioned by name.
I don’t think you have shown any hatred towards Chritianity. I think you have been pretty honest and shown integrity.
But I wanted to know if there was a double standard. Many I have spoken to assume that Christians somehow should not be protected under hate speech laws.
Thanks for this, I don’t believe you are one of them.
In the U.S. there are Christians who consider any criticism of Christianity, even criticism of specific Christians rather than the group of the whole, to be persecution. They also tend to be the most bigoted and hateful of anyone who falls outside their belief system.
Having said that, I don’t believe that these folks represent the majority of Christians in the US by any means. It’s unfortunate that so many people (not you) are willing to allow them to paint all Christians with the same brush in their minds.
I detest Westboro Baptist Church as well, but restrictions on speech can cut both ways. Europe has had problems whereby Muslims argue that they need to be shielded from criticism, and laws have been passed (Ireland, I think) that fines people for offending religious sensibilities. I fear that today’s restrictions against someone who’s insane (Westboro, KKK, etc.) may be applied against me tomorrow.