Comments on: Racist Theme Parties: Freedom of speech or freedom to hate? http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/ because there are some things still worth fighting for Sat, 12 Feb 2011 06:22:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: » America’s World of Racisms, Reversals and Resurgence - By ¡Para Justicia y Libertad! http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/comment-page-1/#comment-7305 » America’s World of Racisms, Reversals and Resurgence - By ¡Para Justicia y Libertad! Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:40:19 +0000 http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/#comment-7305 [...] social networking site to post anti-Muslim and anti-immigration rhetoric to college students posting pictures from racist theme [...] [...] social networking site to post anti-Muslim and anti-immigration rhetoric to college students posting pictures from racist theme [...]

]]> By: » Modern Day Jim Crow Injustice - By ¡Para Justicia y Libertad! http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/comment-page-1/#comment-1851 » Modern Day Jim Crow Injustice - By ¡Para Justicia y Libertad! Mon, 13 Aug 2007 18:11:26 +0000 http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/#comment-1851 [...] ignorance for their offense. Even worse, many gring@s feel all should be forgiven if they just apologize for their [...] [...] ignorance for their offense. Even worse, many gring@s feel all should be forgiven if they just apologize for their [...]

]]> By: XicanoPwr http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/comment-page-1/#comment-1323 XicanoPwr Wed, 06 Jun 2007 01:45:15 +0000 http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/#comment-1323 OK you win. You are right, it is better to err on the side of free speech, but I don't have to like it. OK you win. You are right, it is better to err on the side of free speech, but I don’t have to like it.

]]> By: el longhorn http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/comment-page-1/#comment-1296 el longhorn Fri, 01 Jun 2007 18:51:34 +0000 http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/#comment-1296 Ha! Tough to get through the day when it is full of hate-filled commentary. The problem with the fighting words doctrine is your Oliver Wendell Holmes quote - words have context. Since the court adopted the fighting words doctrinem they have never actually used it...never rejected it, but also never actually said "this is a fighting word that is exempt from the first amendment and subject to punishment by the government." To use the most classic fighting word example, nigger can be the ultimate provocation or an expression of friendship and cameraderie, depending on who uses it and in what context. I just don't trust the court system to be able to adjudicate those fine distinctions. Basically, I will err on the side of free speech, even when I don't like the speech. Ha! Tough to get through the day when it is full of hate-filled commentary. The problem with the fighting words doctrine is your Oliver Wendell Holmes quote – words have context. Since the court adopted the fighting words doctrinem they have never actually used it…never rejected it, but also never actually said “this is a fighting word that is exempt from the first amendment and subject to punishment by the government.” To use the most classic fighting word example, nigger can be the ultimate provocation or an expression of friendship and cameraderie, depending on who uses it and in what context. I just don’t trust the court system to be able to adjudicate those fine distinctions.

Basically, I will err on the side of free speech, even when I don’t like the speech.

]]> By: nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/comment-page-1/#comment-1291 nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez Fri, 01 Jun 2007 15:22:57 +0000 http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/#comment-1291 It's mainstream to think that the Brown are inferior. Of course they don't see it as a big deal, as their americanlawgiven right to say shit that insults, derides, or dehumanizes us. They are the conquerors. They are the Superiors. We are but tequila-snookered gardeners and whorish maids. And to many of these white college students off to rule the new america, that's what we will always be. It’s mainstream to think that the Brown are inferior. Of course they don’t see it as a big deal, as their americanlawgiven right to say shit that insults, derides, or dehumanizes us. They are the conquerors. They are the Superiors. We are but tequila-snookered gardeners and whorish maids. And to many of these white college students off to rule the new america, that’s what we will always be.

]]> By: XicanoPwr http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/comment-page-1/#comment-1289 XicanoPwr Fri, 01 Jun 2007 03:53:13 +0000 http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/#comment-1289 el longhorn - you are correct, it is a free speech issue. And I think the 27 comments I have moderated would agree that this probably would be a hate speech blog. But I think Oliver Wendell Holmes said it best when he said, "A word is not a crystal, transparent and unchanged. A word is instead the skin of a living thought that may vary greatly in color and content according to the circumstances and the time in which it is used." That being said, I think the "fighting words doctrine" can be useful. Where the Court wrote in Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire, 1942 <i>"There are certain well-defined and narrowly limited classes of speech, the prevention and punishment of which have never been thought to raise any constitutional problem. These include the lewd and obscene, the profane, the libelous, and the insulting or "fighting words" those which by their very utterance inflict injury or tend to incite an immediate breach of the peace. It has been well observed that such utterances are no essential part of any exposition of ideas, and are of such slight social value as a step to truth that any benefit that may be derived from them is clearly outweighed by the social interest in order and morality."</i> I maybe wrong in this assessment, but I think this can apply, it is a state institution. el longhorn – you are correct, it is a free speech issue. And I think the 27 comments I have moderated would agree that this probably would be a hate speech blog.

But I think Oliver Wendell Holmes said it best when he said, “A word is not a crystal, transparent and unchanged. A word is instead the skin of a living thought that may vary greatly in color and content according to the circumstances and the time in which it is used.”

That being said, I think the “fighting words doctrine” can be useful. Where the Court wrote in Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire, 1942

“There are certain well-defined and narrowly limited classes of speech, the prevention and punishment of which have never been thought to raise any constitutional problem. These include the lewd and obscene, the profane, the libelous, and the insulting or “fighting words” those which by their very utterance inflict injury or tend to incite an immediate breach of the peace. It has been well observed that such utterances are no essential part of any exposition of ideas, and are of such slight social value as a step to truth that any benefit that may be derived from them is clearly outweighed by the social interest in order and morality.”

I maybe wrong in this assessment, but I think this can apply, it is a state institution.

]]> By: XicanoPwr http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/comment-page-1/#comment-1288 XicanoPwr Thu, 31 May 2007 18:34:07 +0000 http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/#comment-1288 I have forgotten, I will get back to this later on this evening. I have forgotten, I will get back to this later on this evening.

]]> By: appletree » Blog Archive » Wednesday Outrage: Bigotry Edition http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/comment-page-1/#comment-1286 appletree » Blog Archive » Wednesday Outrage: Bigotry Edition Thu, 31 May 2007 00:20:47 +0000 http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/#comment-1286 [...] college campuses? At University of Delaware, there are racist theme parties (see discussion here). At San Jose’s De Anza College, a comatose woman can be raped with complete impunity (hat [...] [...] college campuses? At University of Delaware, there are racist theme parties (see discussion here). At San Jose’s De Anza College, a comatose woman can be raped with complete impunity (hat [...]

]]> By: Tom http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/comment-page-1/#comment-1285 Tom Thu, 31 May 2007 00:05:24 +0000 http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/#comment-1285 This story keeps getting worse. For the university to specifically affirm the "free speech" rights of some students who were actively dehumanizing other students on the basis of race is at least an abdication of its educational mission, and likely an encouragement to future offenses as well. This story keeps getting worse. For the university to specifically affirm the “free speech” rights of some students who were actively dehumanizing other students on the basis of race is at least an abdication of its educational mission, and likely an encouragement to future offenses as well.

]]> By: el longhorn http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/comment-page-1/#comment-1284 el longhorn Wed, 30 May 2007 22:16:21 +0000 http://xicanopwr.com/2007/05/racist-theme-parties-freedom-of-speech-or-freedom-to-hate/#comment-1284 Sorry, XP, but I gotta disagree with you on this one. This is a free speech issue, plain and simple. A state university CANNOT punish someone for exercising their right to free speech, no matter what kind of stupid shit comes out of their mouth. Remember, offensive speech is in the eye of the beholder. How many white people would classify xicanopwr.com as a hate speech website? Sorry, XP, but I gotta disagree with you on this one. This is a free speech issue, plain and simple. A state university CANNOT punish someone for exercising their right to free speech, no matter what kind of stupid shit comes out of their mouth. Remember, offensive speech is in the eye of the beholder. How many white people would classify xicanopwr.com as a hate speech website?

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