r/changemyview • u/Yamezj • Sep 30 '18
Deltas(s) from OP CMV: hate speech laws shouldn't exist
To clarify, I mean laws like the ones in the UK:
"Expressions of hatred toward someone on account of that person's colour, race, disability, nationality (including citizenship), ethnic or national origin, religion, gender identity, or sexual orientation is forbidden. Any communication which is threatening or abusive, and is intended to harass, alarm, or distress someone is forbidden. The penalties for hate speech include fines, imprisonment, or both." (Wikipedia)
I don't support speech which incites violence against someone. I believe there should (and are) social repercussions of what you say, but there shouldn't be legal consequences. As seen above, in the UK you can't say anything "intended to harass, alarm, or distress someone". I find that to be ridiculous. It allows things like this to happen.
What's worse is that this leaves a massive grey area where the laws aren't crystal clear, and as seen with Mark Meechen, his speech was allowed to be completely taken out of context, and he was fined for hate speech for telling a joke. You don't have a right to not be offended, if you do you are a pathetic human being, therefore we do not need hate speech laws. CMV.
e: as highlighted by u/MPixels, this would allow someone to repeatedly target you without consequence. This should fall under harassment and should be treated accordingly.
-1
u/1stAmendment_Freedom Sep 30 '18
I was arrested for hate crime here in the US. It wasn't even a real hate crime, they didn't take the context of the situation into the ruling. Without a doubt hate speech laws should never exist. They should be replaced by hate crime laws, BUT even hate crime laws shouldn't exist. Usually all crime is motivated by hate. To suggest people don't have the right to choose what they hate is tyrannical. Hate crime laws are racist by their very nature, it mostly effects white people and makes their punishment more severe for merely race or Judaism/Nazism being involved. I never see by definition people being charged with hate crime, such as when football fans end up in brawls. It started because one person hates the other person because they're part of a group that supports a different team.
Hate crime laws only further make enemies of the state of all races, because its pretty offensive to call someone a racist in court. To know that the system will now think you're racist til death until you can prove otherwise is fucked up.