Is hate speech protected in the United States' Bill of Rights?

[Thalmor]

I've seen some people say that hate speech is not protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution here in the United States. Is that idea correct? Personally, I don't think so. I believe it's a gross violation of personal liberty whenever a government starts telling you what you can and can't say.

[Caecus]

There was an interesting guy who appeared on the daily show regarding the matter of the confederate flag in the south after the church massacre. There was a lot of controversy over the usage of the confederate battle flag in yards, schools, and even the South Carolina state grounds. 

 

One of the things the guy said was that the state and government should not participate in encouraging the South Carolina government to take down the flag. His reasoning was that the state and government should not have free speech, since the state and the government's "free speech" will always be "louder" than the individual. While his reasoning defended South Carolinian right to keep the Confederate battle flag (and no doubt went against Jon Stewart's entire segment), I believe that he is right. A state has more resources and manpower which trumps over any individual's twitter feed or Facebook page. I unfortunately cannot find the link to the interview, nor could I remember the interviewee's name. 

 

 

On the topic of what Harms said about treason, the US doesn't really have a lot of laws that really define "treason." Technically, the more appropriate term should be "sedition," when American citizens say slanderous things, or gives a speech on promoting anarchy. The Sedition Act, passed in 1918 right before the German Summer Offensive, was originally aimed to keep Central Power sympathizers and spies from sabotage. While overall the amount of sabotage and spying done by the Germans were negligible, there was an irrational fear that the enemy was hiding among the people. The Sedition Act more or less did what ever other country did at the time: censorship of soldier's letters to their families, keeping anarchists and anti-war factions from gaining any popularity, and arresting suspected spies and sympathizers. The Sedition Act was later repealed, but the original law which came with it (The Espionage Act) was not. 

 

In the 1920s and 50s, the Espionage Act was used as a legal means to arrest suspected communists, during the so-called "Red Scares." While over the years it has been amended, the Espionage Act is still in play today as a means of arresting individuals who has given out classified information. So, while the Sedition Acts in the old days technically gave grounds to arrest your dumb ass for saying things like blow up the government or Soviet Russia rules, it doesn't necessarily play out the same way today with the Espionage Act. 

[Moon Man]

I would say that hate speech is still considered free speech, but it can be a grey area. For instance, if you started spouting racial slurs on your spare time and someone hears you, they could label you a racist. If you happen to own a business where minorities are employed, they could say that you denied them promotion or hire due to race. Same thing with religion and sexuality. If you refuse to bake someone a cake, you can get yourself into legal hot water. I personally disagree with how much free speech has eroded. The customer has no right to be served until he or she (or xe, xi, xo, xum) pays for a service or makes an order. If you dont want to serve someone for whatever reason, be it race, sex, smell, political affiliation, or religion, you shouldnt be required to.

 

In this day and age, people have to be so politically correct in almost everything that they do. If you call someone an idiot, you could get yelled at for making fun of retarded people. If you call someone hot, you could get in trouble for sexual harassment. If you dont find a certain race sexually attractive and refuse to date them, you could be called a racist for something that you cant really even control. All I'm saying is that nobody is allowed to even joke around anymore without offending somebody

[Man]

Check your privilege 

This is why we can't have nice things

[Marco Polo]

Hate speech is protected under the constitution but you cannot take it to the extreme where you express it with physcial violence.

[Caecus]

My right to swing my fist ends at your face. 

[MRBOOTY]

On the topic of what Harms said about treason, the US doesn't really have a lot of laws that really define "treason." Technically, the more appropriate term should be "sedition," when American citizens say slanderous things, or gives a speech on promoting anarchy. The Sedition Act, passed in 1918 right before the German Summer Offensive, was originally aimed to keep Central Power sympathizers and spies from sabotage. While overall the amount of sabotage and spying done by the Germans were negligible, there was an irrational fear that the enemy was hiding among the people. The Sedition Act more or less did what ever other country did at the time: censorship of soldier's letters to their families, keeping anarchists and anti-war factions from gaining any popularity, and arresting suspected spies and sympathizers. The Sedition Act was later repealed, but the original law which came with it (The Espionage Act) was not. 

Fun background on that: before WWI, there was everything from German schools to German newspapers, and there was an absolutely massive fear that the German population in the United States would support Germany over America (ala the fears about the Japanese in WWII). There was a huge campaign to try to stamp out German, and German nationalism in the US, and it wouldn't surprise me if these laws were to support that. 

[Hysteria]

If your not inciting a riot or violence onto other people then yes it is protected. Common example is yelling FIRE in crowded movie theater. That will get you arrested.

[Bored now Leafing]

Clearly this thread is offensive, why is it offensive? because i am offended, why am i offended? asking why someone is offended is offensive!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See look at all them exclamation points clearly this thread needs to be banned and sent off to a reeducation camp where the PC police and teach it how to do non-offensive things like, not asking question, or doing what it's told, and unquestioningly agreeing with the political power structure, also informing on non-PC compliant threads.

[Avruch]

This is a question that could be answered with a 15 second Google search. There are a very small number of exceptions to the American First Amendment protection of speech, and "hate speech" is not one of them. 

[Dwemyrn]

Hate speech is protected under the constitution but you cannot take it to the extreme where you express it with physcial violence.

That's no longer hate speech if it's physical violence. If it's physical violence it's assault and assault is illegal.

 

I've seen some people say that hate speech is not protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution here in the United States. Is that idea correct? Personally, I don't think so. I believe it's a gross violation of personal liberty whenever a government starts telling you what you can and can't say.

[Joshua Granger]

I live in AMERICA!! With that being said, !@#$ you !@#$ you !@#$ you, you go to hell, you go to hell and you die!!

[cjx]

I say what I want, when I want to say it, if people don't like it they can giiiit out.

 

RESPECT MUH AUTHORITAH.

[TellUrGrlThx]

Convincing someone to kill themselves will get you arrested. Btw.

[Doktor Avalanche]

Hate Speech is protected in the United States. The issues are the definitions which change decade after decade. Most cases of Hate Speech brought to court end up defining the law every decade or so.

[Avruch]

Hate Speech is protected in the United States. The issues are the definitions which change decade after decade. Most cases of Hate Speech brought to court end up defining the law every decade or so.

 

Low quality necro man

[Doktor Avalanche]

I cast raise dead.

[Bored now Leafing]

Hey Vas can i barrow some nails?

I'll need them for the coffin.

[Doktor Avalanche]

Hey Vas can i barrow some nails?

I'll need them for the coffin.

I have a stapler and duct tape. That should do the trick.