We need to act more quickly on Hate Speech. The sooner we mitigate the First Amendment with laws against Hate Speech, the sooner we can get rid of criticism of Jews through “unintended consequences” of their implementation. We probably won’t be able to as easily put guys like Steve Sailer in jail or even shut them down like we will Daily Stormer and Stormfront, but we don’t need to. We will certainly be able to tie them up in time-consuming government lawsuits. Our side will be paid for by the government in cost and labor. Their side will be paid for by scarce private resources. And think of the chilling effect! The important thing about Hate Speech laws is that it frames the conversation properly. It isn’t whether or not something is true, but rather, whether it is “hate;” whether it is legal.
This free speech thing was tolerable most of the time I guess before the internet, but we just can’t justify it in the internet age. Not passing Hate Crimes laws is in fact ignoring the problem, and it is irresponsible from a communal position.
In honor of our Centennial Year in 2013, the Anti-Defamation League launched the “Imagine a World Without Hate” video and action campaign, and we invite you to participate.
Take just 80 seconds of your time to watch this powerful video, which imagines a world without racism, homophobia or anti-Semitism — a world in which the hate violence that took the lives of Martin Luther King Jr., Anne Frank, Daniel Pearl, Matthew Shepard and others did not happen. Imagine what these individuals could have continued to contribute to society if bigotry, hate and extremism had not cut their lives tragically short.
After 100 years of fighting bigotry and fostering respect, we are celebrating our successes, while at the same time recognizing that we still have a long way to go to achieve the reality of a world without hate. Join us by watching, sharing and taking steps every day to create a world without hate. Thank you for stepping up to create a world without hate as an individual, community, school or corporation.
