What Is Hate Speech?

Is the world really full of hate? Has our view of what is hate changed or are we speaking out against the hate that has been lurking in the dark all along?

It seems that any opposition is seen as “hate” nowadays.

Social media has unmasked us and we now know personal beliefs and feelings that we would have never known before social media.

While working in Mississippi, a co-worker of mine expressed very strong and positive feelings about the importance of the confederate flag.

As a black woman, born and raised in Virginia, I also have strong anxiety-ridden emotions when I see the confederate flag. The feelings that are conjured up are in no way positive.

After living in Mississippi I understand how the confederate flag is part of their history. It has its own spot on the Mississippi state flag. I get it but it does not eradicate my feelings about the confederate flag.

I would have never known my co-workers’ feelings about the confederate flag if it wasn’t for his Facebook posts. I do not hate him for his beliefs nor do I believe he hates me for mine.

We can disagree and still like and respect each other. Right?

So, what is hate speech?

Is it inciting a group of people to chant “Send them back?” at a political rally?

Wikipedia describes hate speech as a statement intended to demean and brutalize another, or the use of cruel and derogatory language on the basis of real or alleged membership in a social group. Hate speech is speech that attacks a person or a group on the basis of protected attributes such as race, religion, ethnic origin, national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

So based on that definition you are not using hate speech if you simply do not agree with lifestyle choices that others make.

Signaling out a group based on their ethnic origin and telling them to go back to where they came from even though they are American citizens seems to fit the hate speech definition.

Dictionary.com describes hate speech 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.

Based on this definition you are espousing hate when you express your dislike for a certain lifestyle because a person may feel insulted because you expressed your opinion. You may have expressed a dislike based solely on actions but it could be perceived as based on ethnicity, disability, etc. I think this is where the hate lines become blurred.

Things start to become complicated and misunderstood when we do not communicate. To avoid the perception of hate speech we need to open the lines of communication so that we can share our views without putting others down for the choices they make.

You may support President Trump but I do not hate you because of that support.

You may dislike President Trump but I do not hate you because of that opinion.

Hate is such a strong ugly word. Hate speech creates toxic dangerous environments. We need to choose our words carefully because words are powerful. Words matter.

What is your definition of hate speech?