The Totalitarian Leftist Tactics against the Right

Indeed (as to the punching part, in any event), but that was an example of why black/Asian people are especially abused in our society, and hence worthwhile offering protected class status for hate speech. Assault is criminal under any circumstances.Edited by vimesey, : No reason given.

In both cases they're wrong. In the first instance, there's a debate to be had about the impact of imperialist pasts, but certainly neither I nor you (I'm a white person, and I am supposing you are too, but please correct me if not) are responsible for the world's ills. In the second instance, that's bullying, and the appropriate interventions should happen - school, parents, and other societal pressures.But neither adds up to hate speech, because vulnerable groups in society are not being targeted for their vulnerability. We preserve special punishments for hate speech (at least in the UK), and they should only be applied to limit free speech in defence of those vulnerable groups.Not to say those situations aren't wrong - they are. But where more vulnerable people are targeted, extra protections are appropriate.

There's no perfect world, in which any one approach to life results in universal happiness. But I don't think that means that we shouldn't strive for the least bad result. And for me, that means preserving freedom of speech (and dissent, and disagreement, and argument, and insult), to the extent that is possible, whilst limiting its harm to others, and I think the balance is rightly struck by defining (and proscribing) hate speech as we have.It means that certain sections of society get more protected than elements of society that you and I regularly identify with. But I recognise my own privilege and fortune in being who I am, and I recognise too that it's fair that less privileged groups get a little more protection than I do. I'm lucky enough as it stands. The standard protections are good enough for me.Edited by vimesey, : Autocorrect doesn't know "proscribing"

I'm snowed under at work today, and can't respond as fully as I'd like to, but when you say: I completely agree, which is the reason the expression "hate speech" is a specific term, with specific implications - certainly in the UK, where you can be prosecuted for it. (The actual offences are called incitement to racial hatred etc, dependent upon the group being protected, but hate speech is used as the umbrella term).I've got busy days ahead with a house move, so I'm afraid I won't be free to respond much in the near future. I'll come back to this if we're still debating it when I surface again.