Hate speech is communicating in a way that is meant to offend and hurt somebody. It is usually based on a factor such as somebody's race, gender, ethnic group, sexual orientation, gender identity or religion. Some places have laws that make it illegal to use hate speech. Countries such as Canada, France and Germany have stricter laws against hate speech than the United States, where hate speech is usually legal because its Constitution says that people have freedom of speech. But hate speech is an inciting of discrimination and sometimes a cause of bullying or hate crime and Article 7 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that all are protected from such an inciting.
References[change | change source]
- "Hate Speech Law & Legal Definition". definitions.uslegal.com. Retrieved March 22, 2010.
- Liptak, Adam. "Hate speech or free speech? What much of West bans is protected in U.S." New York Times. Retrieved March 22, 2010.