Blogging Ottinger (tim)Hate Marriage?
A friend sent me this bit in email. Yes, I’m outraged. I think that this whole hate speech bill is going to be a big problem. I’m okay with being sensitive to the situations of others, but I think that we’re going far too far now.
The words “natural family,” “marriage” and “union of a man and a woman” can
be punished as “hate speech” in government workplaces, according to a
lawsuit that is being appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, according to the
Washington Times. Don Surber says “I have to wonder why I am supporting gay
marriage when one group of gays and one federal circuit court contend that
³marriage² is a profanity that should not be uttered at work.”http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20070610-111445-6957r.htm
http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber/2007/06/11/marriage-is-hate-speech/
I think that “contrary” or “insensitive” is different from “hate speech”. In this case, it seems like normal speech about ones personal situation is considered hate speech if other people choose to live differently? To me, I think that speech that encourages mistreatment or violence is hate speech, and I wish that were the standard.
People can not like me because I’m a white person, because I’m a male, because I’m a consultant, because I’m a computer geek, because I’m of European descent (Swiss/German/Austrian/Native American), because I come from Indiana, because I’m bald on top, or because I’m a Christian. They can even express that they don’t like those things in me. As long as they don’t encourage my mistreatment or violence against me and my family, I don’t think it’s hate speech.
I worry about the erosion of free speech, and I worry about the slippery slope here. When will disagreement with the government be considered hate speech? What if my proclamation of my personal history, above, becomes hate speech? What if your holy scriptures are considered hate speech? I don’t want to see people be rude, but I don’t want to see someone in lock-up because they mentioned that they love their wife and kids, either.
