09-13-2017, 10:55 PM
(09-13-2017, 09:46 PM)Bob Butler 54 Wrote: Breitbart just echoed a conclusion I published a few days ago. The article is KASSAM: The Swamp Just Bounced Trump Into A European-Style Assault on Free Speech The key picture is someone holding up a sign saying 'No Freedom for Hate Speech'. There is a controversy over whether some speech is so bad that the government can be trusted to block it. Breitbart comes up on the traditional US conservative position that speech should be protected absolutely. This can be turned into a position that conservatives favor hate speech.
Arguments that 'the races' differ greatly in intelligence and morals, Holocaust denial, and the usual canards about Jews or members of any other identifiable group by religion or ethnic origin are within the realm of free speech. Of course, refuting those is available to those who recognize the power of free speech. The big problem arises in a tyrannical order in which there are no means of refuting hate speech, especially when the only expressions of political speech are either commands, incitements, or lies. Thus the death sentences to Julius Streicher (Holocaust) and Froduald Karamira (Rwanda genocide).
Quote:I'm of the opinion, of course, that the negative rights should not and do not protect a right to harm others. US federal law seems to suggest more than one incident, the crossing or virtual crossing of state lines, and that the states should avoid too tight a link to free speech or race. If not federal, well, it depends on the state.
Speech or writing that incites a crime has no protection under the First Amendment.
Quote:It is messy. I'm not going to go too crazy pushing any position. For the most part I can respect what Scalia tried to do, but I can understand progressives foaming at the mouth on this one. Meanwhile, while I'm generally in favor of free speech, people shouldn't have to endure harm in public. The impression is given that some conservatives at least want hate speech, while the modern tendency towards vile stereotypes will imply that all conservatives are thus to be considered deplorable. Meanwhile, Europe endured World War II being fought on their turf. It is hardly surprising that they reached strong opinions about what harm can be done by Nazis.
Nazis are forever rightly damned.
Quote:Breitbart? As usual, they seem quite ready to attribute vile motive to those who disagree with them. As usual, the tug of war over Trump is quite visible.
Me, I'm in favor of Trump signing a paper saying hate is a bad idea. Alas, this seems to collide with Breitbart's agenda.
If you dislike Breitbart, then don't read it.
The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated Communist but instead the people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists -- Hannah Arendt.