In Britain, inciting violence was illegal long before "hate speech" laws were put in effect. The effect of "hate speech" laws is to stop speech that causes offense in the mind of the listener, instead of looking at the intent of the speaker. As a result, people like Count Dankula face prison time for telling rude jokes, simply because someone finds them offensive. Rowan Atkinson, of Blackadder and Mr. Bean fame, spoke out against the excesses of these laws years ago, but legislators have not responded.
Imagine that Don Lemon of CNN reported something disturbing and true about Trump and his supporters, leading liberals to hate Trump and his voters even more than they currently do. According to the logic of "hate speech" laws, Don Lemon would be guilty of a criminal act, because truth is no defense when you are charged with "hate speech." The fact that he had said something to cause hatred is all it would take to find him guilty.
"Hate speech" laws have no place in a free society, but they are ideal for a totalitarian one.
If that's not enough, it gets even worse. Rape gangs in Rotherham, England went unpunished for years because police were afraid they would be accused of racism (now a crime under "hate speech" laws) because most of the perpetrators were non-white.
In countries with severe censorship, the rumor mill allows fringe ideas to spread rapidly, and they are more easily believed because nobody believes the official denials of the authorities. So, if you are calling for censorship, we already know from experience that your plan won't work. To confirm what I'm saying, all you have to do is look at the extremely paranoid theories about Jews held by Muslims living under authoritarian governments.
Keep in mind that all the great scientific theories were once fringe ideas. Your notion that an idea should be suppressed merely because few hold it would bring a halt to scientific development.
I think it is only fair to point out that hatred is a two-way street, and if you find members of group X hating group Y, you inevitably find members of group Y hating group X.
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In Britain, inciting violence was illegal long before "hate speech" laws were put in effect. The effect of "hate speech" laws is to stop speech that causes offense in the mind of the listener, instead of looking at the intent of the speaker. As a result, people like Count Dankula face prison time for telling rude jokes, simply because someone finds them offensive. Rowan Atkinson, of Blackadder and Mr. Bean fame, spoke out against the excesses of these laws years ago, but legislators have not responded.
Imagine that Don Lemon of CNN reported something disturbing and true about Trump and his supporters, leading liberals to hate Trump and his voters even more than they currently do. According to the logic of "hate speech" laws, Don Lemon would be guilty of a criminal act, because truth is no defense when you are charged with "hate speech." The fact that he had said something to cause hatred is all it would take to find him guilty.
"Hate speech" laws have no place in a free society, but they are ideal for a totalitarian one.
If that's not enough, it gets even worse. Rape gangs in Rotherham, England went unpunished for years because police were afraid they would be accused of racism (now a crime under "hate speech" laws) because most of the perpetrators were non-white.
In countries with severe censorship, the rumor mill allows fringe ideas to spread rapidly, and they are more easily believed because nobody believes the official denials of the authorities. So, if you are calling for censorship, we already know from experience that your plan won't work. To confirm what I'm saying, all you have to do is look at the extremely paranoid theories about Jews held by Muslims living under authoritarian governments.
Keep in mind that all the great scientific theories were once fringe ideas. Your notion that an idea should be suppressed merely because few hold it would bring a halt to scientific development.
I think it is only fair to point out that hatred is a two-way street, and if you find members of group X hating group Y, you inevitably find members of group Y hating group X.
A hearse, a hearse, my kingdom for a hearse.