Libertarian Librarian

In Boulder, CO, naturally-- home to hate speech impressario, Ward Churchill. Today the city council in Boulder will decide if the city will fund a "hate hotline." If passed, citizens in Boulder could turn in their co-workers, neighbors, or even family for crude language, bad jokes, or just plain old stupidity.

What a farce.

How do we define "hate speech"? Well, nobody is quite certain, but as David Harsanyi notes in his column, "And remember, only call if your attacker uses racist or insensitive language while beating you to a pulp. After all, according to hate-law advocates, it's not genuine hate unless the perpetrator makes fun of your heritage."

These types of legislation are quite possibly the stupidest, most damaging regulations imaginable. The staggering thing to me is that the ACLU is not sure where they stand on this-- but their biggest objection might be, according to Judd Golden, chairman of the Boulder ACLU,

...that there is no confidentiality, no legal confidentiality. So it's potentially chilling if people think they are providing this information in confidence and then that information were provided to the government or the government sought access to it. That would chill free speech.

Huh? Rewind a sec, there, Judd. The chilling effect could come because those turning others in aren't guarenteed of confidentiality? No worries then about the chilling effect a hate hotline might have on free speech? No worries that people might not want to protest, or advocate for a candidate, or attempt to make a joke because they might break the law? That's not a concern?

Good grief, it is hard to imagine the ACLU being MORE on the wrong side of this issue. Their position is so stupid they make Fred Phelps look smart-- or at least consistent. This is a God Awful terrible idea, and it really ought to offend everyone and anyone with half a brain and enough spine to realize that trying to legislate that people be NICE is a really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really bad idea.

So it will almost certainly pass.

Labels: Politics