Should Hate Speakers Have a Voice? | Teen Ink

Should Hate Speakers Have a Voice?

March 31, 2016
By gsilcox20 BRONZE, Ho Chi Minh City, Other
gsilcox20 BRONZE, Ho Chi Minh City, Other
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

Freedom in speech has been around for ages. Some areas have it while others don't. Although as a human right, freedom of speech is necessary for a human being, or is it? Freedom of speech is important, but it has a predecessor, hate speech, should be illegal because it discriminates against race and religion, giving the impression those beliefs are not welcome.


Born and raised from different parts of the world, I was able to learn to observe people around me. I grew up knowing that there are people all around me who like me for being just me and don’t judge me by the color of my skin or the shape of my body. I also grew up with in a family with a mindset that everyone should have the right to speak. Freedom in speech is something that every human being should have. Then I realized that not all people grow up like that. Not all people grow up knowing that everyone is equal. Not all people know that we shouldn't hate other races or genders.


The Westboro Baptist Church has been known for its brutal hate speeches against gay individuals, the government, and even war veterans (source); yet they are allowed to state their opinions and they are allowed to oppress these people and organizations to the point of so much pain. Yet, it is allowed. In the United States, free speech is considered very important. The first Amendment of the United States states that the government should not be able to make a law prohibiting free exercise of religion or free speech (source). This means that anyone is allowed to state their opinion on almost anything publicly. But should they be allowed to? NO! In areas like Canada the laws are very different from the United States. In Canada, hate speeches against any race, religion or sexual orientation can put someone in jail for two years (source) , same goes for speaking against or discrimination against mental or physical disabilities. The Klu Klux Klan (KKK) is a notorious hate group that discriminates against the African American people everywhere. They spread hate through fear and harassment and glorify white supremacy. The KKK is also known for killing African Americans in the past and leaving their bodies on the streets in 1867 (source). To this day the KKK may not spread hate through physical violence but through their loud and heard voices, and are protected by the First Amendment. Hate speech is terrible, it takes our developed world and flushes all that down the toilet. We can't all can't move forward as a society if we keep allowing hate speakers to get the last laugh. Allowing them to speak is allowing hate to rain on the world and sets a bad example to countries that allow it.
Now some people may say, “People can say whatever they want as long as they don't hurt anyone,” and in a way they are right. Because how different are the people saying gay rights are good versus the people saying its bad? They are both expressing their own opinions. And depending on who you are talking to, the people who are pro gay rights are hate speaking.


And in the end words can't hurt people, right? But the thing is words are hurting people. With hate speech like this being allowed it give people the impression that they can do whatever they want. Hate crimes still happen, and giving people the right to glorify crimes like that do not help.


The author's comments:

I was inspired when I started to realize the world wasn't like it was when I was little and not all people are nice and kind to others.


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