Should Free Speech include Hate Speech?

[BrendaBrick]

79. +1 Far better to have it in the open where it can be confronted for what it is. Yup.

ALL THINGS CONSIDERED - Given the alternative, (as you suggest) than to drive it underground instead...I agree.

Reality Check: Once it is driven underground, the fact STILL remains that it exists either way, right? So, following that logic, only under the cloak of secrecy it quite possibly lends itself to recruiting and incorporating even MORE "followers" in the dark than perhaps those who are willing to 'get on board' and be seen in the light of day by comparison.

Let's face it: This is NOT a perfect world by any stretch of the imagination and there will always be bigots and misinformed people yesterday, today and tomorrow. The way I see it, it is better to have these folks 'acting out' and 'speaking out' in a public way where they can be DIRECTLY challenged as opposed to living and operating under a realm of secrecy where the target is much harder to address, hit, pinpoint and ultimately, to counteract.

Lastly, I would like to add that one possible societal backlash to their misconceptions (since, let's face it - bigotry is something that is not innate but rather something that is LEARNED) might be this:

http://www.unlearn.com/

No. Not the answer in a nutshell...but a pretty good start if ya ask me by engendering perhaps a better, much more popular mindset (or at least pandering to the societal, inclusive mindset that no one (I don't think) truly wants to be considered on the fringe) once their faulty belief system(s) might be challenged and/or exposed by the rest of society...and thus just might...MIGHT give at least the opportunity to self-reflect in an non-confrontational way... which otherwise would not have given cause for such silent and personal concern or contemplation to really decide for THEMSELVES just what is real and (after all) what is chasing after a bigoted 'carrot on a stick' which really serves them no good in the end as both a human being and as a positive, contributing member of this society.

Would seem to me...