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Freedom of Speech, or Hate Speech?
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| Theresa |
I am curious to know what your take on this is...
A pro-life group on my campus decides to plop themselves down smack dab in the middle of campus (where you pretty much HAVE to walk through in order to get access to a very large portion of buildings), with the "Genocide Awareness Project". Essentially, they post up some really terrible, graphic and gruesome photos, comparing abortion to the holocaust, to genocide, murder, child abuse etc. These aren't little dinky photos, they are big, massive photos that you really can't miss.
Pictures of these photos... be warned, they are not pleasant to look at by any measure:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?p...oid=47050780849 *click photos for others*
Personally, based on the Canadian Human Rights Act, I would argue that this display is a form of hate speech and needs to be halted ASAP.
Human Rights Act:
3(1) No person shall publish, issue or display or cause to be published, issued or displayed before the public any statement, publication, notice, sign, symbol, emblem or other representation that
(a) indicates discrimination or an intention to discriminate against a person or a class of persons, or
(b) is likely to expose a person or a class of persons to hatred or contempt
because of the race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, physical disability, mental disability, age, ancestry, place of origin, marital status, source of income or family status of that person or class of persons.
Also, in the Canadian Human Rights Act, the following is stated:
"Sex" refers to the condition of being male or female. Under section 3(2) of the Canadian Human Rights Act, discrimination related to pregnancy or child-birth is considered to be discrimination on the ground of sex.
Most of you know, I am pro-abortion, but with that being said, I have no qualms with people promoting against it. I just think that there are other ways to do it that are not meant to cause so much anger, upset, hatred, disgust and contempt. I know for a fact that this display incites a lot of negative emotion on campus, and although it may not all be directed to women who have had to make a tough choice, (much of it is toward the group themselves for their display,) I would argue that the amount of animosity it stirs up is potentially dangerous.
Overall, it seems to be pretty ed up IMO, and has caused a lot of debate on campus (as the University is not allowing them to show their horrible garbage, and have attempted to remove them without success.)
Anyway... I am curious to know what you guys think. |
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| -FSP- |
| I don't see it as hate at all. I just see shock tactics. what action implies that they hate? |
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| Theresa |
| quote: | Originally posted by -FSP-
I don't see it as hate at all. I just see shock tactics. what action implies that they hate? |
Comparing a group of people to those who participated in the Holocaust, murderers, child abusers, proponents of genocide etc. is in my opinion, all with the intent of trying to incite contempt toward the group being targeted, namely those who participate in and support abortion. |
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| Silky Johnson |
| I'm just not sure what persons/class of persons it's supposed to be discriminating against, etc. So no, I cannot call it hate speech. |
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| Theresa |
| quote: | Originally posted by jennypie
I'm just not sure what persons/class of persons it's supposed to be discriminating against, etc. So no, I cannot call it hate speech. |
| quote: |
...is likely to expose a person or a class of persons to hatred or contempt because of gender...
Under section 3(2) of the Canadian Human Rights Act, discrimination related to pregnancy or child-birth is considered to be discrimination on the ground of sex. |
Group of people being targeted = women. |
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| Silky Johnson |
| I dunno, I think that's a reach, though I see your point. I guess I'm just generally indifferent to stuff like this. Mostly because the ads themselves are so ridiculously off-base. Can't help but roll my eyes and move on. |
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| leph555 |
| quote: | Originally posted by jennypie
I'm just not sure what persons/class of persons it's supposed to be discriminating against, etc. So no, I cannot call it hate speech. |
+1
I just don't see that it is targeting anyone directly |
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| Lews |
| I don't really see it as hate speech. I do see it as stupid, though. When people start rolling out the Reductio ad Hitlerum I stop paying attention. |
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| Theresa |
| quote: | Originally posted by jennypie
I dunno, I think that's a reach, though I see your point. I guess I'm just generally indifferent to stuff like this. Mostly because the ads themselves are so ridiculously off-base. Can't help but roll my eyes and move on. |
Although I agree with this point, I still don't think that it's appropriate. Trust me, walking around campus with huge posters of these images berating you all day for 3 days is far from pleasant, and it does stir up a lot of with other people.
| quote: | Originally posted by leph555
+1
I just don't see that it is targeting anyone directly |
I wonder if this is the loophole that they can use to get around being targeted for hate speech, simply because they aren't pointing a finger at anyone in particular. However, it seems inherently obvious that the finger is indirectly being pointed at women.
It makes me want to run a similar campaign, but against circumcision. Post up pictures of mutilated children and compare it child molesters etc. Something equally shocking and ridiculous and see what kind of reaction it gets. I think it would be inherently obvious that I was targeting people who perform circumcision and those who support it, and I would bet that more people would be outraged by it simply because it's more commonly accepted. |
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| w_ashley |
My take is that it is up to the university to allow the demonstration.
If you are offended or your enviornment is being spoiled this is usually protected by university policies preventing harasment on campus.
If you feel you are being harased by the group contact your univeristy administration to file a formal protest.
Chances are this will be gone before you could do anything anyway. |
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| Nrg2Nfinit |
| they should post a picture of smegma I think showing more dead potential babies would better get the point accross. |
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| Silky Johnson |
| quote: | Originally posted by Theresa
Although I agree with this point, I still don't think that it's appropriate. Trust me, walking around campus with huge posters of these images berating you all day for 3 days is far from pleasant, and it does stir up a lot of with other people.
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Welp, the way I see it is that if that's what they have to resort to in order to get their message across, it only makes their argument more whack. Roll eyes, carry on. |
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