Ending hate speech starts with all of us – SC Times

Linda Larson, Times Writers Group Published 7:30 a.m. CT June 13, 2021

His mother washed the inside of his mouth with soap. Thats what happened to a neighborhood boy when I was a kid. Standing on the sidewalk with a youthful swagger, he had yelled colorfulswear words at my family.

While the punishment was harsh, the culture when I was growing up expected us to be polite. To be clear, Im not longing for the good old days. However, Im suggesting kind and polite speech, free from hateful slurs.

Our United States Constitution gives us freedom of speech. Generally, the government cannot censor our words, even hateful ones. Social media are not bound by the same rules because they arent the government. Their aim is to make money, and to make money they need people using their apps. Im guessing thats why the apps have been slow to block users and negative content.

Linda Larson(Photo: Times photo)

At the beginning of this month, Facebook had been criticized for not removing antisemitic posts, according to USA Today. The Anti-Defamation League states that there is a connection between hateful online images and words and real-world speech and violent actions and called on Facebook to step up as incidents of antisemitic violence have risen. Facebook responded saying that it has taken steps to ban hateful words and organizations.

Facebook and other social media sites should be proactive about banning hate-filled language. The rhetoric of war is to demonize the other side, and with the unrest in the Middle East and other parts of the world, we need words that show our common humanity so we dont want to kill each other. Closer to home, using racial slurs or homophobic slogans gives offenders a rationalization for vicious violence.

Do we need a law that addresses hate speech? As a writer, I really dont like limiting the freedom of speech. However, as a human, I see the damage derogatory words do. Germany has had difficulties finding the right balance. After World War II, the country saw how hateful words and images had helped create Nazism. It became illegal to display Nazi images, use racial slursor influence hate against groups. More recently, the law included banning hate on social media, according to Politico. Yet Germany has been criticized for going too far with enforcement, which may curtail free speech.

If Americans cant depend on social media administrators or government officials to stop the hate, who will stop words that inspire violence?

It has to be us, each individual, one word at a time.

Words are powerful. They inspire us. When I feel overwhelmed with life, I read essays and poems to uplift me. When Im sad, I sing the words of songs that comfort me. Supporting people online or in person with kind words makes the readers and listeners feel better and makes me feel better, too. My goal is to write compassionate words that make our world a kinder, gentler, safer place for all humans. And we can do it without soap.

This is the opinion of Times Writers Group memberLinda Larson, a St. Joseph resident. She is the author of the national award-winning "Grow It. Eat It,"and "A Year In My Garden." Her column is published the second Sunday of the month.

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Ending hate speech starts with all of us - SC Times