Hate That Speech

I rise in favor of hate speech, whatever that is.  Before you roll your eyes, let's look at the topic dispassionately.

Speech is speech.  I've addressed this recently in these pages.  There's no such thing as hate speech. What is referred to as hate speech is merely a pejorative label that some people in power have assigned to ideas and opinions with which they find objectionable.  What may be hate speech to one is simply an opinion to another. And the concept of hate speech, not surprisingly, is a construct of the Marxist left.  If we must be tolerant of others' worldviews and opinions, as they so often and loudly proclaim, why do we have a concept of hate speech at all?  Aren't those on the left advocating for a free and open dialogue and tolerance on all things?

No, they are not.  The left realizes that the right to not be offended supersedes any right to utter a contrary opinion.  And being offended is a natural right, according to the left.  Let's take just one recent real world example regarding antisemitism.

White and Black anti-Jew.  So what?

Dr. David Duke has, throughout his career, maintained that he believes the Jews are the cause of most of the world's troubles.  And it would seem that freshman congressman Ilhan Omar agrees with him.  Duke is, according to those knowledgeable in the matter, a "radical racist, white supremacist, and anti-Semite," and Omar is a black Somali Muslim, but apparently not a radical racist, black supremacist, and anti-Semite.  Both have served in Congress, and both have a negative opinion of Israel in particular and Jews in general. But Duke's opinion about Jews is condemned as hate speech, but so far Omar's is merely a misstated tweet.  The media and pundits on both political sides decry Duke's endorsement of Omar, because anything or anyone Duke supports or endorses is the kiss of death to the recipient. Most folks would condemn their positions on Jews as being hateful, anti-Semitic and bigoted.  Those folks say you can't say anything derogatory about Jews.  That's bad.  And they may well be right. Others may passionately and vigorously disagree.  They may say you can't say anything derogatory about Muslims.  That's bad.   And they may be right.  But the left is out of its mind being offended by an opinion on Jews.

So why should I care if Duke and Omar hate Jews?  Why should I care that Louis Farrakhan or Al Sharpton hate white people?  Why should I care if Jews hate Muslims, or Muslims hate Jews?  And why should I tolerate the left's demand that I condemn anyone simply because of the left's condemnation?  What if I share some of those offensive-to-the-left's opinions?  Is that hate thought?

I'm free to form my own opinions, my own biases, my own ideas, and my own likes and dislikes.  I'm free to express those positions and ideas vocally.  If that offends someone, they have the right to simply not listen to me, or certainly disagree with me.  But they do not have a right to not be offended.

So as a society, let's grow up, and be mature about all this so called hate speech goin' on, and identify it for what it really is and for what purpose it serves. The purpose of the whole hate speech boondoggle is to make folks afraid to say anything that runs counter to the Marxist left's ideology.  It's a mechanism for the left to further control the national discourse about what a perfect society should be.  To politicize - and by that I mean to weaponize - constraints on thought and opinion expressed vocally is just taking one step closer to totalitarianism.  George Orwell warned us about that.  It's a form of censorship.

Take back your liberty, your God-given right to express yourself freely, and say what's on your mind.  Defy political correctness; speak the truth.  By that I don't mean to imply that one should be discourteous, as decorum and common sense still prevail.   But don't fall into the trap of self censorship, either:  there are plenty of voices out there that will gladly do that for you.