Timothy Johnson
Lantern Staff
So long as you are not threatening someone with imminent violence, you can say whatever you want. This is what the First Amendment provides. However, the idea that you can say something that is hateful without consequence from the law does not sit well with many people. They believe it only emboldens bullying and hateful words toward people who are a member of a minority group. Of course, that is cause for concern. Bullying is obviously bad, as is uttering hateful words, which is why many universities have tried to restrict what is said toward minority groups who are often targeted by bullying and hateful speech.
Additionally, sometimes speakers who are considered to be too hateful in their speech are barred from speaking at a given university. While this does help keep hateful speech from those individuals off college campuses, it is technically not something colleges are allowed to restrict. They are not allowed to do that, for hateful speech is protected under the First Amendment.
Of course almost all of us are in agreement that hateful speech is cruel and should not be said, but as an organization that receives federal funding, universities are required to abide by the First Amendment. This is why President Donald Trump has issued an executive order requiring universities to abide by the First Amendment. This is not new; colleges were already required to do this, but there is now a new addition. Trump will now pull federal funding if a given university does not comply with the First Amendment.
Most everyone does not want hateful speech on campuses. Hateful speech toward minority groups is bad for we all are people, but in trying to silence it, a whole host of people who do not say hateful words toward minority groups have been silenced as well, for fear of being labeled as hateful.
I have always disliked hateful words toward anyone, and yes, anyone includes minority groups. I have had more than one moment where I have had discussions with people because they were using the “n” word. Those were not silencing sessions, but instead discussions, which eventually led them to a point where they were no longer using that word. Attempting to silence hateful people will only brew more hate and more hateful speech toward those they hate.
I do not believe that real racist groups like the Alt-Right started yelling because Trump was president. Alternatively, I think that the more recent and aggressive attempts to silence their hateful words have only made an already existent monster roar its vitriol louder.
The issue with trying to rid campuses of hateful speech is that it only increases hatred within those of a particularly hateful heart toward minority groups and silences those who do not have a hateful heart toward minority groups, but are afraid that because of their political affiliation, they will be labeled as hateful.
With confidence, I believe that the executive order is a good thing for college campuses, including Butler’s campus as well, for it is a step toward making people, who do not hold any indignation toward minority groups, more comfortable with discussing their ideas. The best way to silence hateful speech on campuses is to quit giving hateful people the attention they want, and not silence them, for silencing those with hateful hearts towards a group of people, will only brew more hatred within them toward that group of people, and then their minds will never be changed.