REGULATION OF HATE SPEECH

Defined:


Speech that attacks a person or group on the basis of
attributes such as gender, ethnic origin, religion, race,
disability, or sexual orientation.
Canadian Approach:

J. Dickinson finds law punishing the willful promotion
of hatred, other than in private conversations, did not
violate Canadian Charter.
It infringed on free
expression but was justified by need to promote full
democratic participation of all (which hate speech
undermines).
RAV V. CITY OF ST. PAUL

City ordinance punishing the use of fighting words
based on race, color, creed, religion or gender. SCT
found it unconstitutional.



Does SCT majority’s approach make sense? Do
the other opinions have a better argument or is
the majority right?
Is it clear that the city is unable to prohibit racebased fighting words even under the SCT’s
reasoning?
What does RAV mean for the regulation of hate
speech in the US?
STEVENS AND LOW VALUE METHODOLOGY

18 U.S.C. § 48(a): bars the knowing creation, sale, possession
or depiction of animal cruelty “with the intention of placing
that depiction in interstate or foreign commerce for
commercial gain.”
18 U.S.C. § 48(c)(1) - “animal cruelty” = any visual or auditory
depiction of “conduct in which a living animal is intentionally
maimed, mutilated, tortured, wounded, or killed, if such
conduct is illegal under Federal law or the law of the State in
which the creation, sale, or possession takes place.”
 18 U.S.C. § 48(b) – exempted “any depiction that has serious
religious,
political,
scientific,
educational,
journalistic,
historical, or artistic value.”


Does this statute regulate “low value” speech?
 Does it fall within existing categories? Note relationship to
obscenity.
 How do we create new categories? Chaplinsky approach?
After Stevens?
REVISED LAW AFTER STEVENS
(a) Definition. [T]he term “animal crush video” means any photograph,
motion-picture film, video or digital recording, or electronic image that (1)
depicts actual conduct in which 1 or more living non-human mammals, birds,
reptiles, or amphibians is intentionally crushed, burned, drowned,
suffocated, impaled, or otherwise subjected to serious bodily injury (as
defined elsewhere) … and (2) is obscene.
(b) Prohibitions.-
(1) Creation of animal crush videos.--It shall be unlawful for any
person to knowingly create an animal crush video, if-


(A) the person intends or has reason to know that the animal crush video will be
distributed in, or using a means or facility of, interstate or foreign commerce; or
(B) the animal crush video is distributed in, or using a means or facility of, interstate
or foreign commerce.
(2) Distribution of animal crush videos.--It shall be unlawful for any
person to knowingly sell, market, advertise, exchange, or distribute an
animal crush video in, or using a means or facility of, interstate or foreign
commerce.
(e)Exceptions – [Law doesn’t apply to normal slaughter of animals,
hunting, trapping, fishing or normal vet practices …]