In this characteristic broadside, Charles demands more powers for the very state that is at the moment bombing Yugoslavia (which he rightly condemns).
If the American state apparatus is given control over free speech, how will it use this right? To defend working people, and minorities? Or to suppress its own critics.
Charles seems to be unaware that it is precisely in terms of suppressing 'hate speech' that the US military is bombing Yugoslav television stations. It is in the name of suppressing 'hate speech' that the US troops tried to silence radio transmitters in Mogadishu during operation restore Hope. In Bosnia today, OSCE officers regularly bar Serb candidates from standing for local elections on the grounds that they employ 'hate speech'. Making similar claims, the UN has censored Serb television in Bosnia.
Charles, I guess, hopes that it will be the people that define what hate speech is. But that presupposes that the people are sufficiently well- organised to pressure the capitalist state to act on their behalf. But when the people are that well-organised they won't need to act through the medium of the capitalist state, but will be able to take matters into their own hands.
In the meantime, demanding more powers for the police and the authorities will only succeed in arming the very people that are out to crush us.
In message <s71db642.040 at mail.ci.detroit.mi.us>, Charles Brown <CharlesB at CNCL.ci.detroit.mi.us> writes
>The tolerance of genocidal fascist organization and culture
>chills all of the civil liberties and rights of the target groups of genocidal
>fascists, who serve as privatized members of the repressive apparatus of the
>capitalsit regime. The civil libertarian freedom of speech absolutists are not
>concerned about these civil liberties and rights. For them the freedom of speech
>is a higher civil liberty and right than freedom from organization of genocidal
>and homophobic murder and terror. Fortunately, there is the possibility of
>outlawing fascistic racism without a new McCarth!
>yism. But if that were the price, are we certain we shouldn't pay
>ideological priority of the struggle against advocacy and oraganization fo
>racist and homophobic murder and terror.
>
>
>Outlaw the KKK and Nazis !
-- Jim heartfield