Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

SHOULD THE FBI “SHUT DOWN” HATE SPEECH?
Powerline ^ | 2 Apr 2019 | John Hinderaker

Posted on 04/02/2019 6:13:22 PM PDT by Rummyfan

I don’t remember when the phrase “hate speech” came into common use, but for some time now liberals have used it as an implicit attack on the First Amendment. Contrary to all law and logic, they press the view that anything they consider “hate speech” should be suppressed, by the government (a government run by liberals, that is) if necessary.

CNN’s Christiane Amanpour engaged in an extreme form of this fallacy while interviewing James Comey earlier today. She asked Comey whether he wished that the FBI had “shut down” people at 2016 Trump rallies who chanted “lock her up” about Hillary Clinton:

Of course, “Lock Her Up” was a feature of the 2016 Trump campaign. Do you in, retrospect, wish that people like yourself, the head of the FBI, the people in charge of law and order, had shut down that language, that it was dangerous potentially, that it could have created violence, that it kind of is hate speech? Should that have been allowed?

Video at the link. The fact that a veteran journalist could ask such an insane question is shocking. (Comey explained that in the United States, it is not the job of the FBI to “shut down” political speech.) The phrase “hate speech” is the magic talisman. But for the last two years, it has been impossible to assemble a group of three or more Democrats who didn’t call Donald Trump a traitor, or worse. Is that hate speech? Should the Democrats’ crazed smears against President Trump be “shut down”? If not, why not?

I think the real answer is that Democrats know that Republicans respect the Constitution and value free speech. Democrats can say whatever they want; there is no risk that Republicans will try to shut them down, no matter how often they claim, absurdly, that Donald Trump is a would-be dictator. But when they gain power, the shoe will be on the other foot.

Democrats have already succeeded in driving “hate speech,” as defined by them to serve partisan ends, from most social media outlets. It is only a matter of time before they make a serious effort to shut down speech in public places that is critical of their leaders, and lock up people who have the temerity to engage in it.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: amanpour; bloggers; fascist
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-46 next last
To: Rummyfan
CNN’s Christiane Amanpour engaged in an extreme form of this fallacy while interviewing James Comey earlier today. She asked Comey whether he wished that the FBI had “shut down” people at 2016 Trump rallies who chanted “lock her up” about Hillary Clinton

I think maybe it's time "journalists" were used for target practice. I mean my God in Heaven, can they be any dumber?

21 posted on 04/02/2019 7:09:21 PM PDT by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan

B*tch needs to go back to Iran and the FBI disbanded.


22 posted on 04/02/2019 7:10:46 PM PDT by shanover (...To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them.-S.Adams)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jonascord
I calculate 23,000,000 bodies, but I'm conservative.

Wow. That would make the Civil War look like a picnic.

23 posted on 04/02/2019 7:14:23 PM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan
We should be shooting by now.
Worse war will come later because we don’t.
Nobody should say such things without an uproar right back in their face.

Oh, I just remembered....free speech.
Well, our side still holds it in high regard. It’s getting so damn awkward.

24 posted on 04/02/2019 7:18:17 PM PDT by right way right (May we remain sober over mere men, for God really is our only true hope.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan
"Wow. That would make the Civil War look like a picnic."

My point. 4th Gen warfare dictates that the IDEA of your enemy be scrubbed from existence.

Communism, and those who espouse it, will have to be obliterated. Those who don't study war have no idea of just how bad it's going to be.

Libs take pride in their ignorance. It will cost them dearly.

25 posted on 04/02/2019 7:23:29 PM PDT by jonascord (First rule of the Dunning-Kruger Club is that you do not know you are in the Dunning-Kruger club.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan

The pure fact that a law preventing “hate speech” exists at all, is a crime itself against the Constitution.

The Constitution and the First Amendment don’t qualify speech, it just says that no law will be made to stifle it.

Therefore, free speech, is free speech.

I’d like to see the FBI, or anyone else, enter a Trump rally and try to shut the people up who are chanting, “lock her up”...all Trump would have to do is say, “sic’em boys” and then, “Look ma...where did those FBI guys get off too?”.


26 posted on 04/02/2019 7:24:54 PM PDT by FrankR (Did I mention that NO Russian collusion was found...NONE....?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan

No,they should shut down Amanpour instead.


27 posted on 04/02/2019 7:25:55 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Mitt Romney: Bringing Massachusetts Values To The Great State Of Utah.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan

“Hate speech,” AKA political speech, is the exact speech the First Amendment was intended to protect.


28 posted on 04/02/2019 7:34:55 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Capitalism produces EVERYTHING Socialists/Communists/Democratic-Socialists wish to "redistribute.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan

Jussie Smollett and two Nigerian brothers who colluded with him committed the biggest hate crime of the year. Smollett lied and falsely told police that two masked men shouted racial and homophobic slurs at him, beat him, wrapped a rope around his neck and poured bleach on him.

Police say he paid two Nigerian brothers $3,500 to stage the attack, which they did willingly and hatefully – and told them to say “MAGA,” for “Make America Great Again,” the slogan popularized by President Donald Trump.

He used the symbolism of a noose to make false accusations that would hurt all white people’s character, and all Trump supporters character.


29 posted on 04/02/2019 7:57:30 PM PDT by PrayAndVoteConservesInLibsOut (PRAYING FOR AMERICA EVERY DAY!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan

Laws against “Hate Speech” are the inevitable result of hate crimes legislation. It’s that old camel’s nose under the tent thing.

It drives me up the wall when I read FR posters going on about what is or isn’t an actual hate crime as if that concept had any legitimacy in a free society. We have to stop letting the Progressive Left define the terms of every argument.


30 posted on 04/02/2019 8:02:39 PM PDT by Junk Silver ("It's a little hard to herd people onto trains when they're shooting at you." SirLurkedalot)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan

The FBI should be shut down.

It is now a threat to the citizens.


31 posted on 04/02/2019 8:08:42 PM PDT by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizen Means Born Here Of Citizen Parents_Know Islam, No Peace-No Islam, Know Peace)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Junk Silver

Yes, but the Jussie Smollett case points out the hypocrisy of the term “hate crime” which in recent years was used erroneously in many high profile cases where white policemen were doing their jobs and black thugs were trying to harm or kill them...but the white person was labeled as committing a hate crime and the black person hailed to be a victim of hate crime.


32 posted on 04/02/2019 8:15:37 PM PDT by PrayAndVoteConservesInLibsOut (PRAYING FOR AMERICA EVERY DAY!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

“Hate speech,” AKA political speech, is the exact speech the First Amendment was intended to protect.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Precisely.

The Ministry of Propaganda has lost their monopoly.
They only like their free speech, not anyone else’s.


33 posted on 04/02/2019 8:15:58 PM PDT by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizen Means Born Here Of Citizen Parents_Know Islam, No Peace-No Islam, Know Peace)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan

BTTT!


34 posted on 04/02/2019 8:25:27 PM PDT by Pagey (8 years of MISERY, Thanks to Valerie Jarrett. Wretched human.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan

Just HOW the Hell does this woman propose the FBI shut up a crowd of, say, 15 thousand people chanting “lock her up”?

Move in with APC’s?


35 posted on 04/02/2019 9:21:26 PM PDT by Paul R. (The Lib / Socialist goal: Total control of nothing left worth controlling.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kickass Conservative

Well said.


36 posted on 04/02/2019 9:27:04 PM PDT by Twink
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Twink

Surprising it took a few times for the post to post.RME

12 years or so as a poster and still censored. LMAO


37 posted on 04/02/2019 9:29:41 PM PDT by Twink
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan

Considering skin color, gender, religion, etc are the major components to determine your place within IDENTITY POLITICS ... which is racist by definition.

the FBI should shutdown the democrat party for being a hate filled racist organization


38 posted on 04/03/2019 2:42:56 AM PDT by sten (fighting tyranny never goes out of style)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Paul R.

“Just HOW the Hell does this woman propose the FBI shut up a crowd of, say, 15 thousand people chanting “lock her up”?

Note that the same people who are clamoring to have “Hate Speech” laws enacted are also hell-bent on disarming every single productive citizen.

See my tag-line - that’s how the Left intends to shut us up.


39 posted on 04/03/2019 3:18:54 AM PDT by Junk Silver ("It's a little hard to herd people onto trains when they're shooting at you." SirLurkedalot)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: Junk Silver

Well, sure, and I do not disagree (except IMO the left will fail in a “disarm the non-left” effort) but crowds at Trump rallys are not armed anyway: It would still take, at the least, the threat of considerable (probably lethal) force...


40 posted on 04/03/2019 3:44:10 AM PDT by Paul R. (The Lib / Socialist goal: Total control of nothing left worth controlling.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-46 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson