Most Americans support expanded federal hate crime laws, but are divided on banning hate speech Since 1994 people convicted of federal crimes motivated by the 'actual or perceived' identity of victims have faced tougher sentences. Many other states had passed 'hate crime' statutes in earlier years, and in recent years many states have been adopting laws which make crimes motivated by the victim's sexual orientation of gender identity hate crimes which face tougher sentences, something the federal government did in 2009. Unlike much of the rest of the developed world, however, the United States does not make it a criminal offense for people to make statements which encourage hatred of particular groups. For example a prominent British columnist, Katie Hopkins, is being investigated by the police for referring to African migrants crossing the Mediterranean as 'cockroaches'. YouGov's latest research shows that many Americans support making it a criminal offense to make public statements which would stir up hatred against particular groups of people. Americans narrowly support (41%) rather than oppose (37%) criminalizing hate speech, but this conceals a partisan divide. Most Democrats (51%) support criminalizing hate speech, with only 26% opposed. Independents (41% to 35%) and Republicans (47% to 37%) tend to oppose making it illegal to stir up hatred against particular groups. Support for banning hate speech is also particularly strong among racial minorities. 62% of black Americans, and 50% of Hispanics support criminalizing comments which would stir up hatred. White Americans oppose a ban on hate speech 43% to 36%. When it comes to crimes motivated by hatred, most Americans do back the current federal hate crime laws, including the expanded definition of hate crime passed in 2009. 56% of Americans back the federal law mandating tougher penalties for cimes motivated by race, religion or gender, and 51% support expanding that to include sexual orientation, gender identity and disability. Democrats (68%) tend to be much more supportive of the law than either independents and Republicans. Republicans (38% to 39%) are split over the expanded definition of hate crime, while independent tend to support (46%) rather than oppose (28%) it. source
LOL. That number actually seems pretty low. In the future, the only groups will be able to speak freely without consequences are gays, women, blacks and christians. As for hate speech though, we need to clearly define what that means. In this current social environment, hate speech seems to be anything that any of society's protected groups don't agree with, even honest opinions that are based on actual observation. In other words, simply telling like it is seems to be how society today defines hate speech.
Because they "worry" about a slippery slope as though they're not already bobsledding down the thing. Unfettered hate speech means they are already racing toward the finish line, just from the other direction. The frog is slowly being cooked. Ostensibly, any restraint, however reasonable, on free speech would lead to totalitarianism, dictatorship and so on. But I wonder how guys like Hitler would have fared if hate speech laws had been in effect at the time.
No, they just think it should not be criminalized. I don't see anything in the poll saying they think it's a great idea. That's just you making up shit as usual. The problem with making any speech illegal and criminal is that someone has to be the one to determine what is hate speech and what is not. It starts with specific and obvious hate speech and then slides down to "I think that dress is ugly". No one can be trusted to wield that power. Conservatives realize that, and liberals - who are supposed to be FOR free speech, don't get that.