As supported by the constitution, and the humanitarian ideal, advocating for a personal, or shared belief is an inalienable right. Although what one person may hold to be just in their mind, it could just as easily be seen from someone else's perspective as bigoted. Hate speech is included in your right to free speech no matter how immoral and unfounded it can be, but that right is what sparks changes in attitude, hopefully, that means a change for the better. In fact, by observing hateful practices, people could stand to gain an insight into how such behavior should be adapted to the times. Opinions are derived from the environment in which we are educated, and when our education seeks to skew our perspectives, a blatantly racist or sexist remark can be the difference between cognizance, and indifference.
Many people in our society witness hate speech or some other form of hateful conduct on a regular basis, and despite being aware of its existence, choose to remain a bystander to that injustice. Instances of hate speech can be both minor and dramatized, but the more noticeable the injustice, the more likely consequences will occur. I am not suggesting that people should spew every offensive idea that comes to mind, but in the event, they take advantage of their right to free speech, tolerance can come of the observers. As Lee Bollinger suggested in her book "The Tolerant Society: Freedom of Speech and Extremist Speech," the counterintuitiveness of allowing hate speech may act as a catalyst for generating understanding in other aspects of life. I believe that part of the scholarly review's namesake, extremist speech, can incite the greatest response out of the listener. The response may not always be desirable in the eyes of society, but it's potential is abounding.
All too often we see misguided comments from ralliers in the media, we hear the opinions of the intolerant fueled by institutions incessantly producing propaganda, and without trying to sound overly critical, all you can do is feel sympathy for them. The prejudiced ramblings of reporter's interviewees, on a personal level, inspire me to be open-minded enough for both of us. Hate speech is defined as "speech that attacks, threatens, or insults a person or group on the basis of national origin, ethnicity, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability." Dissecting this definition, hate speech can occur when alluding to any group, and because of this seemingly bleak reality, people of all different perspectives can perceive this hate speech and with any luck, gain some of that previously mentioned tolerance.
Sources: Lee Bollinger, "The Tolerant Society: Freedom of Speech and Extremist Speech,"
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