Week of September 10-16 Discussion Quest. #2

2). Visit the Free Speech Museum's Hate Speech Page.  What did you learn about how hate speech is defined, who engages in it, and efforts to regulate hate speech on the Web?  What should be done about hate speech on the Web and off it?  Should we censor it?  Would doing so violate our constitutional right to freedom of speech?  Are there other, perhaps less formal, ways to reduce hate speech?  

I learned that hate speech is defined as any form of verbal language or physical action that may discriminate against any other individual or organization. I'm sure that many of us have engaged in hate speech but we do not have the intention of hate toward that subject. I honestly think that hate speech is very poorly regulated over the web. I have been to countless websites and forums that have racist language and hate speech written all over it. In addition, i'm sure there are websites dedicated to racism and hate toward multiple ethnic groups. In all honesty, there is not much that we can do about hate speech on the web because it's so anonymous that individuals cant be held accountable. In terms of off the web, we could fine people for hate speech but that does not seem constitutional and people would have large complaints over this issue. Yes, we should censor hate speech because we don't want younger generations to pick up on it but it's inevitable and is very difficult to stop. There are ways to reduce hate speech but the problem is that it's already so integrated into our society that it is part of the norm. I admit hate speech is bad but most of the time it just helps us get rid of stress and half the time we never really mean it. (Or at least i don't)