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RandomAccess

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34. True, but to be honest I'm having more and more trouble with

Thu Jan 25, 2018, 05:39 PM

Jan 2018

pretty much any and all hate speech being given equal accommodation under the 1st Amendment. There ARE other forms of speech which are prohibited --

* lies in advertising and certain financial dealings, and a few other places (court, govt docs)
* libel and slander
* yelling FIRE in a crowded theater
* conspiracy to commit a crime

and probably some others I'm not remembering.

I just increasingly question whether tolerance for speech that, ultimately, promotes genocide (as racism's ultimate goal) should remain protected speech under the 1st Amendment.

AND EVEN IF IT IS, or remains so, that doesn't mean it needs to stay "acceptable" in any other venue or platform. IOW, even if it remains protected under the 1st Amendment, we should redouble our efforts to totally cast it out from every other place it may appear.

And I also keep thinking about how Germany has prohibited Nazi speech and paraphernalia, and somehow they haven't devolved into anarchy or barbarism as a result. So -- ?? Why can't we?

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My niece stumped with with a question: Why is the Republican Party allowed to even exist today? [View all] Fluke a Snooker Jan 2018 OP

Electoral college and gerrymandering JI7 Jan 2018 #1

this Freddie Jan 2018 #8

They are allowed to exist because of the first amendment. aikoaiko Jan 2018 #2

Correct answer. lagomorph777 Jan 2018 #16

Right, and the rest of the constitution. This isn't North Korea. Hortensis Jan 2018 #21

I interpret the question differently DBoon Jan 2018 #30

Yes, that's how I read the question ProudLib72 Jan 2018 #35

That's an even easier question to answer. There are a lot of racist /hateful people out there. aikoaiko Jan 2018 #54

True, but to be honest I'm having more and more trouble with RandomAccess Jan 2018 #34

Yelling fire in a crowded theater is perfectly legal. Stop using it as an example. X_Digger Jan 2018 #42

Oh, that's interesting. Good to know. I'll replace it with -- RandomAccess Jan 2018 #48

I guess they don't teach the Constitution at her school.... former9thward Jan 2018 #3

Actually, they do. She's in eighth grade in middle school. Fluke a Snooker Jan 2018 #11

So you reject the First amendment. former9thward Jan 2018 #12

Fluke, remember, voters are citizens. The constitution serves us Hortensis Jan 2018 #22

Sorry, but thats the argument Fascists will use when burning the Constitution. Oneironaut Jan 2018 #37

There supporters vote for them no matter what...so they exist. Even though they shouldn't. Demsrule86 Jan 2018 #4

money stockpiles support it. pansypoo53219 Jan 2018 #5

I guess the constitution gets covered somewhere in grad school... linuxman Jan 2018 #6

You'd think, right? X_Digger Jan 2018 #41

That is the downside to democracy Billy Jingo Jan 2018 #7

Money/Corruption/Propaganda nt Irish_Dem Jan 2018 #9

I totally agree with you. The Wielding Truth Jan 2018 #51

The GOP was down for the count in the latter years of the BushCo Regime. lpbk2713 Jan 2018 #10

I like your niece! But yeah, it's the First Amendment renate Jan 2018 #13

Same reason the Democratic party is allowed to exist. fescuerescue Jan 2018 #14

It is also worth remembering that... chumpchange Jan 2018 #28

Wrong. California is a perfect, shining example of a Democratic Party-only state. Fluke a Snooker Jan 2018 #15

Post hoc ergo prompter hoc. LanternWaste Jan 2018 #20

Blind faith leads to the inability to see failure thats right in front of you. Calista241 Jan 2018 #44

I was thinking the same. Interesting read. Tipperary Jan 2018 #47

I honestly belive we are better politically where there are antagonists BoneyardDem Jan 2018 #17

The answer to me is obvious, the GOP is functioning as a white power party MrScorpio Jan 2018 #18

The Republican Party started out as an anti slavery expansion party. Blue_true Jan 2018 #19

Selfish white males have a lot of money. dawg Jan 2018 #23

and guns samir.g Jan 2018 #29

Simple reply: "would you be willing to let someone else decide which groups you can join"? brooklynite Jan 2018 #24

They exist for extremely good reason. NCTraveler Jan 2018 #25

Human nature Cosmocat Jan 2018 #26

First Amendment elleng Jan 2018 #27

I am curious what class sarisataka Jan 2018 #31

The real question is 'why does the republican party exist?' iscooterliberally Jan 2018 #32

What ridiculous and absurd framing. Your entire premise is actually quite frightening tritsofme Jan 2018 #33

Depends on the definition of allowed to exist. Oneironaut Jan 2018 #36

Laying it on a little thick there melman Jan 2018 #38

Freedom of association-even assholes can organize and associate Gothmog Jan 2018 #39

Because we don't kill political parties for being racist? Or disagreeable, or hateful, or.. X_Digger Jan 2018 #40

Because we didn't give the government the power to judge what we have to believe hack89 Jan 2018 #43

You do realize that this problem is only going to be exacerbated in the future? Calista241 Jan 2018 #45

Cool story, bro. nt Dreamer Tatum Jan 2018 #46

Thats not a hard question to answer. We have much more extremist parties than the GOP stevenleser Jan 2018 #49

It's allowed to exist because of money Quemado Jan 2018 #50

Please don't help her on the term paper. parkerMcDavis Jan 2018 #52

What grade is this? jberryhill Jan 2018 #53

8th grade N/t Fluke a Snooker Jan 2018 #55

Are you even an American? john657 Feb 2018 #56