Beyond the Campus?
(Vera Speaking)

 
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I think I should also add something that reveals my deepest feelings on this issue. We can and we should make legal arguments trying to establish the constitutionality of anti-hate speech codes and laws. It is in the nature of the case that most of these arguments must be based on precedent. But at a deeper level I think that the most basic reason for restricting hate speech is the world-wide consensus that the racism it expresses is immoral to such a degree that it should not be allowed to exist.

In some ways, racism is in a class by itself. Its intrinsic nature is so evil, and its effects have been so harmful, that the language that creates and perpetuates it should be suppressed.

This approach violates the usual rule that the First Amendment should be "neutral" with respect to content or viewpoint. But I think we would be better off violating that rule in this case.

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