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by Somasis 3496 days ago
Why do we keep being encouraged to believe that the hate speech of neo-nazis is worth preserving?
3 comments

Anything can be labelled as hate speech from the perspective of someone who doesn't agree. Today it's them getting suspended, tomorrow it might be you.

The social justice movement in the U.S. for example is so successful, because they exploit this. They're failures at life that label everything that makes others more successful than them hateful to get it changed.

Impressive amount of cognitive bias you managed to pack into such a small space there.
I am wondering if you actually read the article. Because it looks to me like it was worded in a remarkably neutral, factual way.
I did, and I agree it was neutral. I'm referring to the conversation that always follows these sorts of things. People insisting that free speech means neo-nazis should be allowed to spread their message of hate.
Are you serious? Literally right now is the exact reason free speech means neo-nazis should be allowed to spread their message of hate. Someone who supports and is allied with these very neo-nazis and white supremacists is now the head of the United States government.

The reason we have been tolerating neo-nazis for so long is that we've established a principle called free speech, and we've developed a legal theory and a society where Trump cannot use his power to turn the tables and ban discussion of things he finds objectionable: perhaps he'd like to institute a ban on discussing racial justice because he finds it "hateful" and divisive? Perhaps he (or someone in his administration) would like to ban the hateful, hateful folks who advocate legalizing what he would call the murder of unborn children?

Now is the exact moment you should be on your knees thanking all of those assholes who defended the freedom of speech of the neo nazis of every time period against governments who acted with the best intentions, trying to stop hate. Because the hateful ones are now the ones who get to decide what 'hateful' means.

Your post is not grounded in either fact or logic. Tell me, for example, of US government attempts to suppress neo-nazi speech.I'm only aware of one case from the 1970s where the State government of Illinois objected but was out-argued by the ACLU. The case is summarized at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Socialist_Party_of_Am...

As for Trump, $10 says you're in for a big surprise.

Ah. Okay. Thanks.

Let me respectfully suggest that your original comment was poorly worded, given your stated intent here.

Best.

I think you may be right. :)
I'm not worried about neo-nazi speech. Most countries have plenty of precedent for regulating hate speech. I'm worried about speech that isn't quite at the neo-nazi level. What do we do to speech that is only kind of hate speech? My gut says to err on the side of freedom and let it stay, however I do find it extremely annoying on reddit and wish all those people would just leave, so I can sympathize with those who want to ban it.