Hate Speech

A reader recently asked me what hate speech means to me. I thought about it and this is my reply;

Hate speech is defined as speech that attacks a person or group on the basis of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. In my opinion, hate speech is a form of hate crime. It might not be violent but it does the same thing to the person or group targeted. It victimizes them. It degrades them.

People who give hate speeches should not be allowed to hide under the canopy of freedom of speech. The fact that the constitution, under civil rights, allows for a citizen to express himself in whatsoever way he pleases is no reason to bring someone down or ruin another via speech. Words can be quite powerful and can lead to mental anguish for the victim. The major cause of hate speech is intolerance.  The offender finds it impossible to tolerate the victim's belief, race, etc. and he figures he has to lash out somehow. The end result is hate crime but it begins with hate speech.

People need to learn and understand that it is okay for others to be different. They have got to start accepting people that are a different race, of a different belief or religion. The world is full of diversity. There is no way you will not run into someone whose beliefs differ from yours. I have always felt that terrorism was/is an indirect result of hate speech. I mean, that is how it all starts out, right? One person opposes the other side's beliefs, culture, religion, etc. and goes verbal about it. The offender speaks his mind until he has a following(people of similar beliefs). His words/speech convince them that what they feel is alright. They believe it's okay to speak hatefully and spitefully against people different from them. One of the group goes a step further and becomes violent and terrorism is born!

With the emergence of social media, another platform for hate speeches arose. More and more people took to social media to express their hate. They verbally lashed out at everything and everyone who wasn't like them. They assumed it was okay. They didn't put into consideration that their hurtful words led many to depression and suicide. They destroyed homes, lives and ruined reputations. I've always wondered why hate speech was not treated like libel or slander. Are hate speeches okay because they are true? Why does it not count as a crime? It hurts. It causes damage. It is quite similar to other crimes. The only difference being that there is no physical violence(...yet). Most bullies, bully using hate speech.

I have heard of scenarios where a potential rapist previously gave an hateful speech about his victim; demeaning her with words on every available platform before humiliating her with the violent act. I have also heard of a situation where a man threw hateful words at his neighbor because the man's religious beliefs were different. Eventually, that man killed his neighbor. One would think that if hate speech was qualified as a crime, those two major crimes would have been avoided. That woman would not have to live with the stigma and psychological trauma and that neighbor would still be alive.

We need to understand that hate is a very powerful emotion and it drives people to commit atrocities. Yes, you can express yourself but not at the risk of another person. More importance should be placed on hate speeches and offenders should be punished.  Speeches should not attack people for being different. You do not have to accept them but you shouldn't victimize them either. Personally, I believe the world would be a better place with a little tolerance.

In the words of a favorite cartoon character of mine, "If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say nothing at all". Words can build or pull down. There should be zero-tolerance for hate speech on any platform; private or public. Blogs that post hate speech should automatically be taken down and private social media accounts should be deactivated or suspended. I believe that, if it is banned or disapproved on media outlets, people would begin to watch what they say.

Hate speech is not a speech that expresses a difference of opinion. The very act of hate speech is carried out with intent to victimize. It's okay to have a different opinion, it is not okay to victimize others for having one. Nobody should be held out of scrutiny, celebrities, politicians, everybody should be held accountable for the words they speak or write. Anybody found guilty of this crime must be made to publicly apologize and then pay a fine to the offended party(victim). Awareness should be created for the fight against hate speech. Social media platforms should release disclaimers that hate speech would not be tolerated.

It should not stop there. The fight should involve schools as well. Students should be sanctioned if they make hate speeches against fellow students. Songs that victimize people of a particular belief should be banned. While this might seem a little extreme, only extreme measures can make people understand that they are not mere words, they hurt people.

In conclusion, I would say, that to me, hate speech is a crime that is liable to punishment. It is a form of psychological warfare. It systematically destroys the victim and causes them trauma. It is just as damaging as any other crime. It is a crime that robs society of peace. If a particular people are targeted, they eventually fight back and it becomes a full blown war. It might be tricky to handle because of the freedom of speech, it might seem that their rights are being violated.

But, if left alone, hate speeches are like open wounds left to fester, eventually they become infected and result into more trouble and are difficult to handle/control. To prevent that, immediate action is needed to ensure that it doesn't lead to an uncontrollable situation. Hate speech is a crime to humanity.

I hope I answered your question sir.