Hate Speech Should Be Protected

We can all agree that bigotry and discrimination based on a person’s creed, gender, or other immutable characteristics, are wrong. It’s normal (even noble) to want to restrict speech that espouses said bigotry and discrimination.

But…

We have to remember that the people who want restrictions are usually never the ones who have the power to legislate the restrictions on speech. Giving a government or a monopolistic tech corporation power to restrict “bad ideas” is only good, as long as they agree with what you say.

The definition of “hate speech” has and will change depending on who’s in charge. This is why civil rights activist Hosea Williams, a colleague of Martin Luther King’s, publicly defended the KKK’s right to freedom of speech.

So while we may strongly disagree with what the most hateful people have to say, we must always defend their right to say it.