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.