Comments on: Full story: Congress acts to extend hate crimes to cover gays

By: Ballston

Ballston — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:04:35 +0000

Like DUH Alexa. I believe your point was covered in elementary school.

By: Facebook User

Facebook User — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 02:59:25 +0000

I am with Wayne on this one Randy. There is a constitutional test though that determines whether or not hate speech is protected or not.. It is the Unlawful Incitement Test; made in Brandenburg v. Ohio 1967. It says that if the speech will lead to direct violence or unlawful acts then it is not protected under the first amendment. More recently though in Rice v. Paladin 1997 the 4th circuit court ruled that you don’t need incitement in certain cases. Paladin’s book, Hit Man: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors, was used as the basis for 3 murders court ruled that he could be tried for aiding and abating murder.
I would think that if a pastor said “Kill a queer for Jesus and you will be rewarded in heaven” that is would fail the incitement test and most definitely fail this newer version

By: randy

randy — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:41:17 +0000

Although I lean far left, I disagree with Wayne M. Hate speech is free speech. It should never be possible for the government to muzzle someone for speaking their mind. The response to hate speech is more speech, preferably the truth.

Hate crimes (involving something other than just speech) are another matter. The intent to intimidate, harrass, or exterminate a group should be considered an aggravating factor in any crime, reflected in stonger sentencing.

By: Alexa

Alexa — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:30:19 +0000

Lazy, inaccurate journalism is worse than no news at all.

Until the US Senate also passes the legislation, Congress hasn’t passed a damn thing. But kudos to the US House, which did pass it.

By: Wayne M.

Wayne M. — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:24:27 +0000

U.S. Republicans and Canadian Conservatives both need to learn that hate speech or speech designed to encourage discrimination leads to acts of hate and violence against minorities and people who cannot defend themselves. Such speech has never been covered as free speech in a democracy. Free speech brings certain responsibility to be truthful and not cause harm.

The fight against hate speech will be an ongoing struggle. Here in Canada, for example, our Conservative Party and several provincial right wing parties as well as a few religious groups want to remove sections from human rights laws that place restrictions on hate speech. Clearly we do not learn from history. Hitler also defended hate speech as free speech. Then he took power. True free speech was banned, but the hate speech continued and was blessed by his government.