Promote Tolerance
The idea of the promoting tolerance is one of the eight values of free expression. It is the idea that there are no laws restricting people from hateful and upsetting speech. The reason for this is that it created a more tolerant and overall better society.
It allows people who use hateful speech to be called out by individuals in society rather than having to deal with a court system. People are allowed to voice their opinions whether it be good or bad, but if it crosses boundaries than we are responsible for holding them accountable.
An example of this idea being put into place is in the case of the old Atlanta Hawks owner, Bruce Levenson. Levenson was caught sending racist emails to a colleague talking about how "the black fans scared away the whites." He was forced to resign from his position of the team, and got a lot of backlash from the public.
I personally love the speech theory of promoting tolerance because it singles out the hateful people within our society without needing the help of the law. It allows citizens to hold each other accountable without relying on higher powers. I am not saying that we could survive without law, but the idea of letting our citizens stand up for what they believe to be morally right or wrong is something that I would love to see more of.
The sense of community and togetherness that this theory brings forth is amazing. Do I think it is cruel and ignorant to use hate speech? Absolutely. But while we as citizens hold these awful people accountable for their actions, the law is responsible when their evil thoughts turn into actions. This cohesiveness mostly works well and is what makes this country special.
Promoting Tolerance
Bruce Levenson
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