RealWorldGraduation_Question_19 <– PDF
Suppose a prominent black civil rights leader had made public speeches like these in 1993:
a. “Only after the white virus destroying the quality of life of black people has been eliminated can we hope to promote cooperation between the remaining races, which will then be founded on a common understanding.”
b. “Honkie parasites on one hand ripped off the black people without a second thought, and on the other hand instigated people of color to violence. The misfortunes of black people have become a continuing objective for these white trash crackers, and it was unfortunately made possible because of the large number of desperate unemployed black people that mistakenly supported the international trade treaties, which further benefitted the rich honkies.”
What is the proper amount of government regulation or actions that should be adopted to address speech of this sort?
a) Public speeches of this sort should first be subject to review by qualified people to determine if they are acceptable for public consumption. If a proposed speech is considered acceptable, then the speech could be made. However, neither of these two fragments is acceptable, and both should be prohibited.
b) These fragments are obviously racist, and should be prohibited by appropriate legislation.
c) These fragments indicate both racism and mental illness, and the person who made these statements should be examined to determine his mental health. If he is found to be of sound mind, he should be prosecuted for racism or hate speech.
d) The person making these statements should be prosecuted for hate speech unless he can prove he is mentally ill and therefore not responsible for what he says.
e) Because of the First Amendment, it is difficult to pre-empt speech solely because some find it objectionable. For radical opinions like these, a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work, but the government should consider some appropriate remedy, tailored to specific cases. However, such remedies should be civil (i.e., fines and restrictions) instead of criminal (imprisonment).
(The answer is shown on p. 2 of the PDF.)
