Limiting Hate Speech In America Is A Valid Debate

[Impious]

65. I think the OP has a problem distinguishing hatred of a notion versus hatred of an individual

Last edited Sun Sep 23, 2012, 12:09 PM - Edit history (1)

I'm an atheist. My lack of "faith" is ridiculed constantly. I don't resort to violence. I welcome an exchange of ideas.

I know I'm in the minority, but I applaud ridicule of religion. I know it's not a particularly effective method of winning friends but sometimes it's the only method that has any chance of success, given that religion is never a rational subscription in the first place. Would you have jailed Voltaire or Mark Twain?

I don't hate religionists, and I don't agree that their religion is "fundamental" to their identity. Their skin color, their bones, blood, flesh, and brain are fundamental. The rest is opinion, which can be changed through argumentation, enlightenment, ridicule, and tortuous brainwashing. The first three methods are fair, the latter is not.

Why stop at criminalizing religious ridicule? Why not political ridicule as well? Since I lack a religion would you also assert that my political views are "fundamental" to my being? That would be equally nonsensical.

"Hate speech is shifting our culture, creating a social licence to commit political violence"

You're simply wrong. There is no such license.