LibraryLady
Emeritus
Several forum threads in the past few days have made me think about hate speech. By “hate speech,” I mean that which is directed against a specific group of people in such a way as to convey a blanket animus and which attempts to incite similar feelings in others. In other words, “LibraryLady sucks” is not what I refer to. “Librarians are radical militant terrorists who should be lined up against the wall and shot until none are left” is.
Many people here have commented upon the fact that hate speech is not against the Membership Agreement. It is not against the United States Constitution either. And I agree with both documents entirely. Free speech is a principle I hold dear. My right to ignore speech is something I hold dear as well.
Naturally, hate speech ceases to be free speech when it incites others to commit illegal acts. “Librarians are militant radical terrorists who should be shot. We have guns. Let’s go shoot them.” Is not free speech; it is conspiracy.
All of this being said, let’s take a look at hate speech and what it is.
The very first thing I notice about hate speech is that it is tedious. Seriously, it is rare to read hate filled rhetoric that transcends the sixth grade level. It’s kind of like pornography that way, isn’t it? There only so many ways to say, “They did it” before it just becomes repetitive and silly. The vocabulary in hate speech is usually pretty limited and the literary devices are few and far between. There is hate speech that transcends this, just as there is well written porn, but it’s unusual and usually doesn’t fulfill its purpose. The target audiences are usually not those who have an education or an appreciation of such things. They are simply looking for someone to hate.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard or read any hate speech that explores new ground of any kind. Anti-Semites point to the Protocols of the Elders of Zion or the blood libel. Racists talk about the curse of Ham or the studies by Lombroso, or variations thereof. This too makes sense. New ideas are hard to think about. The intended audience doesn’t really want to put in the effort.
What hate speech occasionally does well is to arouse emotion. Fear is the target of the hated and anger the target of the haters. However, even here there are failures sometimes, evoking amusement from the intended object or a united front of both the hated peoples and their sympathizers.
But.
It is important to remember that while we might be bored, perplexed, or amused by what we hear and read, that doesn’t mean it is benign. It is not.
There are people who do believe in what the hate speech says, and specifically incited or not, will act upon their beliefs. Abortion doctors keep their addresses secret for a reason. Do not underestimate it.
Be glad if you live in a society that allows hate speech. Be grateful for the Internet and the voice it gives to the haters. Know it is out there and seeing who says these things is half the battle. It is a part of our education. It disturbs our complacency.
Therefore, also be glad that our Membership Agreement allows this. Practice using constructive tools to make your arguments against it. It’s a training ground for the real world.
Many people here have commented upon the fact that hate speech is not against the Membership Agreement. It is not against the United States Constitution either. And I agree with both documents entirely. Free speech is a principle I hold dear. My right to ignore speech is something I hold dear as well.
Naturally, hate speech ceases to be free speech when it incites others to commit illegal acts. “Librarians are militant radical terrorists who should be shot. We have guns. Let’s go shoot them.” Is not free speech; it is conspiracy.
All of this being said, let’s take a look at hate speech and what it is.
The very first thing I notice about hate speech is that it is tedious. Seriously, it is rare to read hate filled rhetoric that transcends the sixth grade level. It’s kind of like pornography that way, isn’t it? There only so many ways to say, “They did it” before it just becomes repetitive and silly. The vocabulary in hate speech is usually pretty limited and the literary devices are few and far between. There is hate speech that transcends this, just as there is well written porn, but it’s unusual and usually doesn’t fulfill its purpose. The target audiences are usually not those who have an education or an appreciation of such things. They are simply looking for someone to hate.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard or read any hate speech that explores new ground of any kind. Anti-Semites point to the Protocols of the Elders of Zion or the blood libel. Racists talk about the curse of Ham or the studies by Lombroso, or variations thereof. This too makes sense. New ideas are hard to think about. The intended audience doesn’t really want to put in the effort.
What hate speech occasionally does well is to arouse emotion. Fear is the target of the hated and anger the target of the haters. However, even here there are failures sometimes, evoking amusement from the intended object or a united front of both the hated peoples and their sympathizers.
But.
It is important to remember that while we might be bored, perplexed, or amused by what we hear and read, that doesn’t mean it is benign. It is not.
There are people who do believe in what the hate speech says, and specifically incited or not, will act upon their beliefs. Abortion doctors keep their addresses secret for a reason. Do not underestimate it.
Be glad if you live in a society that allows hate speech. Be grateful for the Internet and the voice it gives to the haters. Know it is out there and seeing who says these things is half the battle. It is a part of our education. It disturbs our complacency.
Therefore, also be glad that our Membership Agreement allows this. Practice using constructive tools to make your arguments against it. It’s a training ground for the real world.
