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Speech On Hate Speech

Decent Essays

In a recent survey conducted by UCLA professor John Villasenor, 660 out of the 1,500 college students surveyed about hate speech insisted that hate speech was not protected under the Constitution. Additionally, 240 students, from the same study, were unsure if hate speech was protected or not. (Timpf) This study reveals how misinformed people are on hate speech and how censorship is becoming more acceptable in American ideologies. Americans are seeing words that they disagree with as acts of verbal violence rather than learning to accept differing opinions and beliefs. Instead of being proactive and using the Constitution as a source to fight back people would rather choose to change it even if it means taking away core values of the First Amendment. Although the Constitution covers speech that is deemed hateful, legislation should not change the law to restrict people from saying hateful words; instead, individuals affected by these obscene words should utilize the First Amendment to counteract the words with a positive message instead of trying to silence those with opposing beliefs and viewpoints.
What is Considered Hate Speech
Before discussing hate speech, it is vital to know its definition. According to Meriam-Webster, the online dictionary, hate speech is defined as “speech expressing hatred of a particular group of people”. Hate speech as defined by Meriam-Webster is covered under the First Amendment. This means that anyone can legally judge others based on religion,

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