General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: "I support Free Speech, but I do not consider _______ Free Speech." [View all]JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)I haven't. Frankly, I don't want to see it. I don't see how anyone can determine whether it is hate speech or maybe just parody (which is protected speech).
Are you familiar with the decision in Hustler Magazine v. Falwell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hustler_Magazine_v._Falwell
in which the S.C. ruled that parody is not libel and that therefore parody is protected by the First Amendment. I'm oversimplifying, but sometimes it is hard to distinguish between hate speech and parody or satire.
Also, think about the decision by Scalia in R.A.V. v. St. Paul.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.A.V._v._City_of_St._Paul
How would you define hate speech?
If you have seen the film, does it exhort people to hate or be violent? Or does it just depict a revered religious figure, a prophet of the Muslim religion as a creep?
Just because people react violently to speech does not mean that it is hate speech.
People can react violently to things that subjectively disturb them but that are not hateful.
What are you basing your post on? A viewing of the film or just the fact that people are rioting?