HATE SPEECH

Hate Speech

Hate Speech

Introduction

Hate speech is a term that has two meanings out of which one is according ot the law and the other is a general definition of hate speech;. Outside the law, hate speech is referred to a communication in which abusive language or gestures are used against a person or a group of people on the basis of the characteristics of ethnicity, color, gender, disability, religion, color, race or sexual orientation relating to that person or group of people. According to the law, hate speech is referred to any gesture, speech, writing, conduct or display that is forbidden because it may include prejudicial action or violence against a protected group of people or individual. The core focus of this paper will be to discuss the concept of hate speech according to the law and to elaborate the statement that “The regulation of hate speech violates the right to freedom of speech and damages a free society.2”

Discussion

Hate speech is a speech that has been surrounded by various controversies, and it is also considered that the regulation of hate speech violates the free society and the freedom of speech. A significant controversy that has been observed is the controversy regarding the laws that prohibit hate speech and the regulation of hate speech. The most significant reason of the existence of this controversy is the conflict that arise with a secured right of freedom of expression. It should be regulated that every individual should have a right for freedom of speech on any topic without government intervention. It has also been discussed at various instances that the main issue that arises regarding the subject of hate speech is that the regulation of hate speech violates the environment of a free society. As a result of this, the right of individuals for freedom of expression is also violated.

It is very significant in the Western society that the freedom of expression and freedom of speech are the basic components of political freedom and these rights are well guarded in the Western society. It has been clearly identified that it is the basic right of an individual to communicate freedom of belief, thought, expression and opinion through the freedom of selecting the desired media of communication. It is also obvious that freedom of speech and expression also gives rise to hate speech. It is very significant that there is a very narrow difference between the acts or speech that can cause harm and that constitutes harm.1 Most of the times, harm is only regarded to be a physical pain, but it is very important to understand that it is also equally painful when an individual becomes a subject of a cruel comment. Verbal abuse is also considered as harm. According to this explanation, speech can also become a path to actions that could cause harm to individuals. So according to the law, any action that causes harm is subject to regulation. This is the basic ground due to which hate speech is subject to ...