Is Hate Speech Free Speech?

Message 1189 of 5378

SCOTUS has annouced it will hear oral arguments this fall a case involving Westboro Baptist Church. These fine Christian folks that protest at the hometown funerals of those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. They wave signs bearing slogans such as:

- Thank God For Dead Soldiers
- America is Doomed
- God Hates the USA/Thank God for 9/11
- Priests Rape Boys
- Thank God for IEDs; and the ever popular
- God Hates Fags

In Snyder v. Phelps Mr. Snyder sued Phelps and Westboro in a Maryland case. Snyder won a judgment of $5M against the protesters and was overturned on appeal. Snyder seeks reinstatement of the judgment.

Questions: Should this type of protest be protected by the First Amendment? Should hate speech be free speech or should public policy prevail?

posted by TwoSpirits

Replies 1 - 10 of 35

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The old slippery slope argument again . One person's hate speech is another person's truth . Giving some government hack enough power to decide such things is giving him too much power .

posted by Tautog
about 1 year ago

What about decency?

posted by TwoSpirits
about 1 year ago

Decency has nothing to do with law, unfortunately.

You can't shut down one side without shutting down the other.

posted by crestofwaves
about 1 year ago

Two, what about a murderer who gets off because no one read him his rights. Is that decent? It is the law, however.

posted by crestofwaves
about 1 year ago

Apples and oranges, Cresto.

posted by TwoSpirits
about 1 year ago

I don't see it as such. Law is Law and sometimes it is not fair.

posted by crestofwaves
about 1 year ago

Let me add I think these people are depraved, and if they showed up at my dead soldier child's funeral, I might open fire on them. Then, I would have to go to prison.

posted by crestofwaves
about 1 year ago

i agree with you crest about the opening fire...in my younger days i probably would have created a very large problem with them...now however the right of free speech is what the military protects...right now they have the right to protest....decency has nothing to do with it...if they were decent they would not be there to begin with...

posted by golf4you
about 1 year ago

Hate speach is free speach but i also find this deplorable. If it were my family member in the box I would as you said end up in jail due to my need to express my self!

posted by zolofish
about 1 year ago

Just because you don't like, abhor, or despise the speech or the group behind the speech, you can not deny it. Once you do, they can turn around and deny yours.
This is a protected right, as long as you don't incite riot, or government overthrow, or one of the other extremely limited circumstances under which freedom of speech can be denied.