If someone was asked to share their thoughts about ‘hate speech’, they might have a number of things to say. Firstly, they could say that it has no place in today’s world, which is why it is a good thing that it is banned.
The Main Benefit On top of this, they could say that it will be a lot easier for people to relax and to feel safe, knowing that this kind of speech won’t be tolerated anymore. And, if one was asked to elaborate on what they believe is the definition of ‘hate speech’, they could say that it relates to anything that incites discrimination, hostility or violence. With the above being on the basis of someone’s religion, colour, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity or national origin. Taking this into consideration, it is clear to see why this kind of speech would be seen as hate speech. The Purpose Upon reflection, one might wonder why these laws haven’t been around for a lot longer than they have. With this in mind, there is a strong chance that one will make sure that they don’t say anything that would incite discrimination, hostility or violence. However, if one is thoughtful human being who cares about their fellow humans, it could be said that this won’t be an issue. This is based on the fact that it should be relatively easy for someone to know what they should or shouldn’t say. Not a Problem Taking this into account, these laws are going to make the western world better for everyone. Therefore, even if there are moments when someone says the wrong thing and ends up in trouble, it will be worth it in the long run. One way of looking at this would be to say that the end justifies the means. The end could be seen as the perfect utopia where everyone gets on and feels accepted no matter where they go – how wonderful. The Right Outlook One of the things that they could do, to make sure that they don’t say anything hateful, is to find out what is or what isn’t acceptable. This would give them the opportunity to look into what they believe and, to think about the kinds of words they use, for instance. When this takes place, it could be said that one will be behaving like the perfect citizen; someone who has the need to always do the right thing. This is likely to be something that one will need to do on a regular basis, that’s if they want to do the right thing, of course. It Is Not Fixed One might be only too happy to do this, or they might find it hard to understand why this is the case. What could come to mind is that there will be things that they say or think that are hateful, yet don’t they don’t even realise. At the same time, one may start to wonder if there is more to all this than meets the eye. It could be as though they started off with a bag of words and, as time has passed, this bag has got smaller and smaller. Self-Censorship As a result of this, it is no longer going to be possible for one to just express their thoughts; they will need to see if what they have to say is classed as ‘hate speech’. Now, it could be said that this is part of living in the modern-day world, and that one needs to think before they speak. The importance of taking the time to think as opposed to simply blurting something out can’t be defined. Nevertheless, if it has got to the point where one can no longer express their views, it surely shows that something isn’t right. Two Things For one thing, who decides what is classed as hate speech and what it isn’t? Secondly, just because someone believes that they have been on the receiving end of ‘hate speech’ or even a ‘hate crime’, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they have been. When one reflects on these two points, they may start to see how the first term can be used to control what someone can or can’t say and the second term can be used to charge/arrest someone for something that they haven’t done. On the surface, it can be clear what these two terms mean, yet if someone was to take a deeper look it will be apparent that there is more to all this than meets the eye. The Ultimate Illusion At the end of the day, the people in power are the ones who decide what hate speech is and what it isn’t, in addition to putting these laws into place. These people create the impression that they care about their fellow human beings, and this allows them to fool a lot of people. In reality, the only thing these people are concerned about is controlling their fellow human beings and having absolute control. And through being masters of manipulation, they know exactly what to do to get the outcome that they desire. The Indirect Approach Without a doubt, it is a lot easier to condition people to believe that they are doing the right thing and then for these people to voluntarily give up their ability to express their views, than it would be to do this through force. Through doing this, the people who speak out about what is really going on will be silenced by their fellow human beings. The people who are aware are then kept inline and there is no need for them to be kept in their place by the police or the army, for instance. Sill, someone can keep quiet out of the fear of losing their job, losing their friends and/or being arrested, for instance. A Natural Reaction Also, deciding what people can or can’t say won’t necessarily change their views; in fact, it can lead to other problems. For example, if one can’t express their views in public, they can end up joining or even creating a group that actually wants to cause harm. The media and the politicians, for instance, can then come out and say that this group is the problem. When in reality, this group is going to be nothing more than a symptom - a sign that these people live in a society that is against free speech. Conclusion So, in the same way that someone can repress their feelings, they can also repress their thoughts, but what this won’t do is solve the problem. In the short-term, it may seem as though it is working but, sooner or later, what has been repressed will come to the surface. What this emphasises is how important it is to make sure that people are allowed to express their views. These views are not always going to be easy to hear, but what this will do is create an environment where a society can truly grow and develop rather than the illusion that this is what is taking place.
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Oliver JR Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk
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Oliver JR CooperAuthor of 28 books, Transformational Writer, Teacher & Consultant. Introductory Consultation
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Disclaimer
That which is contained within these articles is based on my own empirical understanding and is true for me at the time they were written. However, as I continue to grow, what I perceive as the truth will inevitably change and as a result of this - parts of these articles may not reflect my current outlook.
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