“There’s hate speech going on next door Abner, I just know it!”
Tuesday, the Boulder City Council will take up the matter of allocating public funding for a “hate hotline,” which would give residents an opportunity to report incidents in which Boulderites use tactless language.
There is, for instance, the policy statement condemning the usual individual or collective acts of racism and bigotry. Great. But it also condemns those who attack “personal beliefs and values.”
“Well, for the ACLU, that goes over the line,” Golden says. “You can object to free speech just because someone is a Republican or a Democrat.”
The most serious question, however, is will the hate-line folks forward their files to the Boulder police or City Council?
And this defense of the hot-line is way off the irony charts…
“Certainly, if it just provides an opportunity to call and have a welcome voice and some kinds of soothing response to their concerns, that would be fine. Speech is good.”
They should learn from Canada’s mistake: don’t drive the racism so far under the public surface that it’s almost impossible to deal with.
This is yet another reason why it is called The peoples republic of Boulder by the citizens of Colorado.
Um mbg can you clarify yourself? I’m proud of Canada and the fact that we integrate cultures and not just assimilate into one culture. I have experienced very little racism and find that most racism comes from the less educated, ignorant, misinformed, etc.
Oh maybe you are talking about Toronto? Oh yes I agree they’re starting to get a batch of problems and if I can sum it up in one phrase: “Segregation of cultures”. But rest assured they do not represent the rest of Canada, they just like to think so.
Come visit Vancouver sometime. I’ll show you around.
#3
Are you hitting on #1? *wink*
Hmmm. Reminds me of FIDONET’s judicial philosophy. Just two rules:
1) Thou shalt not excessively annoy others.
2) Thou shalt not be too easily annoyed.
These guys need to follow #2.
As a Christian this scares me greatly. Hate Speech in general is a joke. Freedom of Speech is just that. If I have to respect the rights of those who wish to say Homosexual behavior or Pornography is ok, my rights to say the opposite should also be maintained. Inciting violence isn’t allowed, nor libel and slander, but short of this, creating a “Hate” speech provision is just a bad idea.
Like “Hate” crimes – all crimes are hate crimes. You don’t commit crimes against people you love on purpose. Punish the crime, don’t try to figure out intent. Whether you kill for fun or kill cause they are of a certain ethnicity, they are still the same dead.
You’re right on the money Tim. Putting the “Hate” label on a crime just reinforces the prejudice/racist/segragation attitudes that we, as a nation, are trying to put behind us.
Don’t take what happens in Boulder too seriously. Everybody in Colorado knows that Boulder is an ultra liberal society, so removed from normal common sense that they may as well be on Mars.
After all in Boulder:
1. You can’t own a pet….you are its caregiver.
2. You can’t fly nuclear missles over it’s air space, or you’ll get a citation. (I bet this just scare the dickens out of China and Iran and others)
3. You must constantly complain about the greenhouse effect, but use your SUV to drive 2 blocks to get groceries.
4. They want to close the streets into the city from nonresidents to reduce traffic congestion.
Like #2 said, it’s called “The peoples republic of Boulder” for a reason.
Uhm, #8, I live in Boulder and haven’t heard about closing the streets to nonresidents. But you missed the “not allowed to keep a couch on your front porch” law (goes back to the riots on The Hill over banning underage drinking, resulting in someone always lighting a couch on fire at some point).
Yes I did hear of this. I understand the Boulder City Council got this idea from the former KGB.
Rick Dyson
Boulder, CO
Boulder is just following the lead of the U.K.
To say Homosexuality is wrong is hate speech and can get you hauled into court. To say Muslims are dangerous is hate speech and can get you hauled into court.
They passed a *hate speech* law there and now no one is immune. Evne debate in Parliment is squashed by the new law.
F Boulder.
Is it still okay to hate Hitler there?
Just checking.
Dave
Another case of it being Bush’s fault. Or is this one Cheney’s?
F Boulder.
Is it still okay to hate Hitler there?
Just checking.
Dave
That’s hate speech!! I’m telling on you!!!
How can you like hate speech so much?
Didn’ty ou recently post about how great it was that the President of Iran wants to talk? Why is his hate speech worth a dialogue, bot not this hotline?
That’s hate speech!! I’m telling on you!!!
Comment by James, age 14 — 5/16/2006 @ 6:28 pm
Go to bed kid, it’s past your bed time.