A poll regarding the use of hate speech

[focusonz]

@tomndebb

in too many instances, the quality of debate has fallen in GD and I would like to see it improve.

I am not about to set stricter limits based on (my interpretation of) “hate speech” in this Forum and I am not going to make a general practice of declaring certain challenges or expressions to be off limits in threads up and down the Forum. It would, however, be nice if a few posters on every occasion and all posters on some occasions actually paid attention to actions that made this Forum less interesting, even if it does not amount to some definition of “hate speech.”

@focusonz

In the thread **“Why can’t we all just get long… w/o hating? ” **having 47 posts I have identified 17 posts containing “hate speech”.

Therefore, 44% of the of that thread on GD was noise. I am of the opinion that turning hate speech way the fuck down would go a long way toward fighting ignorance and this one member of the teaming masses might possibly be convinced to vote democratic.

See The Unfortunate Effect of the Negative Stereotype [ed. title] - Great Debates - Straight Dope Message Board
and See ” Why can't we all just get long... w/o hating? - Great Debates - Straight Dope Message Board

I want a vote!
How many posters want stricter limits based on (moderators interpretation of) “hate speech” in GD. (policed)
How many posters will call a spade a spade and say the reply is hate speech in no uncertain terms. (self policed)
and How many posters will affirm that they will make an effort to not use “hate speech’? (discipline)

My votes are
YES
YES
YES

I have a fear of the future that this SDMB in GD will go to hell in a hand basket in light of the impending free posting if it is not there already. Hate speech should be relegated to the PIT period.

[Roderick_Femm]

I can agree with the 2nd and 3rd suggestions to some extent, but not at all to any enforcement of what some fallible someone might decide is hate speach.

This is the same problem (although on a lower level) I have with hate speech and hate crime legislation. In my universe, people are allowed to hate and to be hateful, and to express that hate verbally. There are already enough laws against making believable threats of physical harm, inciting to riot, battery and other such crimes. Trying to make them worse by calling them hate speech (whatever that even is) or worse, hate crimes, is a very short step from outright censorship of opinions.

I fully agree that this kind of thing contributes nothing to debates and is empty of content. If someone drops a stinking turd into an otherwise intelligent debate, I think the very, very best thing to do is to ignore it and continue with the debate. I wish more people had the discipline to do that, thereby reducing the side-tracking of interesting debates.

And the last thing I want to see on this board, or anywhere, is endless debate about why someone’s post was edited or deleted because it supposedly contained hate speech. “No, it didn’t!” “Yes, it did!” ad nauseum. Sheesh!

So, to be clear, my votes are

 No
 Maybe but I don't promise
 Yes

Roddy