Is Hate Speech Harmful?

on these charges before he went on his rampage. The group of scholars supporting stronger restriction on the first amendment believes that hate speech is harmful to its targets by degrading them. These scholars believe that hate speech is a violation of the fourteenth amendment, "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; not shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the law" (American Government p. 631-2). On the other hand, some scholars believe that regulating speech would be a direct violation of the first amendment, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances" (American Government p.

631). These scholars believe that hate speech is just a way to express someone's feelings. They also believe that the way to counteract hate speech is with more speech. However, the supporters of speech codes believe that this "more speech" tactic makes a direct challenge and leads to violence (American Government p.417). In contrast with the scholars, Smith supported the "more speech" approach and stated if "they (Supreme Court) try to restrict our legal means then we have no recourse

but to resort to terrorism and violence." This shows that either way government acts individuals may resort to other tactics such as violence.

Hate speech is a very sensitive subject to many Americans today. Through the readings and our discussions during class I concur with the scholars who support limiting the first amendment right of freedom of speech as it relates to hate speech. Hate speech often causes people to react emotionally instead of rationally. Usually these emotional reactions involve violence.

As seen in previous occurrences, once a violent act is committed a chain of violence is started as one group reacts to the other. By controlling hate speech you would be able to prevent this chain reaction as well as prevent the degrading and intimidating comments being made publicly. Also by limiting hate speech, authorities could use this regulation as a means for monitoring persons such as Smith to avert acts of violence from being committed. By not restricting hate speech individuals may infringe on the natural god given rights that the founders of our country believed all individuals are entitled. The founders of our country believed all to be equal, no individual has the right to infringe on another's rights of equality.