Motus Mentis

One Comment

1. Tanner says

   “Hate-Speech Hypocrites”
   “How can we ban hate speech against Jews while defending mockery of Muslims?”

   http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/frame_game/2012/09/free_speech_vs_hate_speech_why_is_it_legal_to_insult_muslims_but_not_jews_.html

   “Jews have too much influence over U.S. foreign policy. Gay men are too promiscuous. Muslims commit too much terrorism. Blacks commit too much crime.

   Each of those claims is poorly stated. Each, in its clumsy way, addresses a real problem or concern. And each violates laws against hate speech. In much of what we call the free world, for writing that paragraph, I could be jailed.

   Libertarians, cultural conservatives, and racists have complained about these laws for years. But now the problem has turned global. Islamic governments, angered by an anti-Muslim video that provoked protests and riots in their countries, are demanding to know why insulting the Prophet Mohammed is free speech but vilifying Jews and denying the Holocaust isn’t. And we don’t have a good answer.

   If we’re going to preach freedom of expression around the world, we have to practice it. We have to scrap our hate-speech laws.”

   Posted September 30, 2012 at 2:05 pm | Permalink