Hate speech on Ratz. Should we tolerate it?

[Eriku]

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words'll only make my doubt my own worth and cry myself to sleep.

[Jay G]

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words'll only make my doubt my own worth and cry myself to sleep.

Faggot !!

[floppit]

This is actually something I've never been able to figure out myself.

In terms of my own respect for posters - and people in general, I'm inclined to watch how a person deals with those NOT in their group, or those they perceive as against their own group, 'thems', I find that the higher end of my own regard relates to the dignity with which a person can be clear about behaviour, not compromise on what is or isn't acceptable, without the need to attack the 'other' group. But then, I think it takes a degree of awareness to make that possible and I don't think those who indulge in hate speech have at their disposal the perception it requires. In some ways to get angry at a person for being unable to step outside 'us/them' mode is like being mad a child that forgot to draw ears on a face! If this is a fair assessment, and I'm not sure it is, then I would argue to tolerate the speaker but not the speech.

On the other hand people feel things, we are real, we're not just typed words and hate speech does hurt people. Where something has few redeeming features and causes harm action to reduce it is positive or is it? Sometimes the action then causes more harm!

Anyone still reading this needs a gold star - honestly, as all the above shows, I don't know. I think though where possible it is good to tolerate the doer while not always tolerating what is done.

[Pappa]

I personally don't think there's a need to ban hate speech. The Ratz response to hate speech here has been typical of us. We've laughed at the member(s) posting it, patted them on the head and gone off to make 100 parody threads in response. There has been very little in the way of actual offence caused because nobody took it seriously. We rolled our eyes and (metaphorically) said "Fuck offf you naive, bigotted nob head".

Plus, who decides what's hate speech. It takes us back to the trolling debate.

[Jay G]

A ban does not go far enough. Anybody engaging in hate speech should be banned and then we should hire a hit squad (preferably from some right-wing dictator who needs some extra cash to fund his secret police) and have the offender shot.

[owtth]

I personally don't think there's a need to ban hate speech. The Ratz response to hate speech here has been typical of us. We've laughed at the member(s) posting it, patted them on the head and gone off to make 100 parody threads in response. There has been very little in the way of actual offence caused because nobody took it seriously. We rolled our eyes and (metaphorically) said "Fuck offf you naive, bigotted nob head".

Plus, who decides what's hate speech. It takes us back to the trolling debate.

Yes I'd rather make fun of dickheads than worry that we were an island insulated from dickheadedness.

[Coito ergo sum]

Let's say, for example, a person started a thread intensely bashing "niggers" or "wops" or "slopes" or "faggots" or "trannies" or whatever, but never insults any other member or breaks any of the existing rules. Then he starts another and another and another and another and another and another...about the same topic. It's hate speech. It's illegal in many countries and/or in many jurisdictions within countries.

I'm all for freedom of expression and speech. I'll all not for hate speech. In your opinion, is Ratz the kind of place where it should be protected or banned? Something else? (Don't want to set up a false dichotomy.)

Has anyone been doing that?

People continually call Americans "Merkins." That seems to me as equally "hate speech" as anything else you've mentioned. The only difference is that "Americans" are not a group many people are loathe to insult or offend.

It's like Sarah Silverman once said. She was asked not to use the word "nigger" in her jokes on a show - I think the Conan O'Brien show. So, she agreed to use "n word" or "blacks" instead. She then told them that she had some other jokes about Chinese people, and she used the word "chinks." So, she asked what she should use instead. They said, "Oh, no, you can just say 'chinks.'" The moral of the story is that it's only impermissible to "bash" certain groups.

Lots of "bashing" and hate speech goes on here that people like. You know, like "Christians are superstitious morons" and other bashing of religious groups. Hate speech, in most of these countries that you refer to, not only includes negative statements about racial groups, but religious groups as well. That's one of the reasons such laws are pernicious and dangerous.

If you can't post "The Jews are oppressing the Palestinians and are greedily stealing their land" - then it would only be arbitrary to say that it's o.k. to say "the Merkins and the stupid Christians are oppressing the Muslims, and are the greatest terrorists on the planet." That's no different.

Before hate speech is banned, it would need to be reasonably defined. The best definition I've seen so far is: it involves insults to groups I deem worthy of protection from offense. Some groups need the protections, and others do not. I know it when I see it.

[Eriku]

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words'll only make my doubt my own worth and cry myself to sleep.

Faggot !!

I'll take that to mean a stick.

Thank you, I do try to keep slim.

[Jay G]

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words'll only make my doubt my own worth and cry myself to sleep.

Faggot !!

I'll take that to mean a stick.

Thank you, I do try to keep slim.

Homo!!! (How slim can you be with THAT!)

[Eriku]

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words'll only make my doubt my own worth and cry myself to sleep.

Faggot !!

I'll take that to mean a stick.

Thank you, I do try to keep slim.

Homo!!! (How slim can you be with THAT!)

Homo is the genus that includes modern humans and species closely related to them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo

[Jay G]

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words'll only make my doubt my own worth and cry myself to sleep.

Faggot !!

I'll take that to mean a stick.

Thank you, I do try to keep slim.

Homo!!! (How slim can you be with THAT!)

Homo is the genus that includes modern humans and species closely related to them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo

You just can't insult some people. What's this forum coming to anyway?

[Eriku]

You just can't insult some people. What's this forum coming to anyway?

I've had soooooooooooooooooooo much practice at deflection... I'm sure there's someone that's not quite as pathetic as me, and as such hasn't gotten to hone their skills as much.

Happy hunting.

Btw, here's a good slur to use against Norwegians: sea-jew

[Jay G]

You just can't insult some people. What's this forum coming to anyway?

I've had soooooooooooooooooooo much practice at deflection... I'm sure there's someone that's not quite as pathetic as me, and as such hasn't gotten to hone their skills as much.

Happy hunting.

Btw, here's a good slur to use against Norwegians: sea-jew

Thanks, buddy.

[owtth]

Btw, here's a good slur to use against Norwegians: sea-jew

Please tell me that's true 'cause that is too funny not to use.

[Feck]

Does this mean I'm not meant to say rude stereotypical things about : Merkins Welsh Lancastrians Scots Irish Aberdonians Jews Arabs Blondes the French and all those dog torturing shark and whale murders in the "east" ?

That's going to ruin my post rate

Don't other forum rules cover this ? or do we need a rule for constantly posting hate about one subject ..