Nadine Strossen: HATE: Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech, Not Censorship

We hear too many incorrect assertions that "hate speech"—which has no generally accepted definition—is either absolutely unprotected or absolutely protected from censorship. Although U.S. law allows government to punish hateful or discriminatory speech in specific contexts when it directly causes imminent serious harm, the government may not punish such speech solely because its message is disfavored, disturbing, or vaguely feared to possibly contribute to some future harm. Are "hate speech" laws effective or counterproductive? Should hate speech be protected under the First Amendment? Nadine Strossen is the John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law at New York Law School and the former president of the American Civil Liberties Union. For more information on this event, please go to: https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/calen...