Hate speech is just that.
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It doesn't matter if it is cloaked in a illusion of humor, music, print or art.
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Imus may have thought he was being cool making controversial comments against a university women's basketball team - then another university being cool highlighted artists at their basketball game that promoted exactly the same controversial thing. (50 cent was one of the artists) Kathy Griffin may have thought she was being campy, irreverant and funny. Elton John promotes images of burning churches in his concert and holds his hedonistic birthday bash in - last I checked - a Christian church. Mel Gibson needs to quit drinking for starters. Michael Richards lost his temper. Jerry Lewis forgot himself. (I don't remember at all when his skit was ever appropriate for TV - you might hear this kind of talk in cocktail circles or bars maybe. I honestly do not know what he was thinking, and should retire from - at least - the TV part of the telethon.)
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Then you have musicians - hip-hop/rappers strongly - who sing of violence and degradation of women.
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(I believe that the woman's movement has failed which endeavored to bring an end to the mistreatment and inequality of women.)
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You have newspapers printing pictures that one major world religion found to be offensive. People were killed as a result. I posted an article, on another of my blogs, about a university newspaper printing the same photos - and another university newspaper published out of retaliation different photos that another world religion found to be offensive.
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But somehow this was justified as student expression.
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Hate speech is wrong. It doesn't matter how it is cloaked in.
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There should be agreement all the way around about this.
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It is TRUE that people do feel the way, and talk the way, these artists/individuals are reflecting. It does reflect 'real' life.
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There are 'God/Jesus/Religion - or particular religion/denomination haters', 'Jew haters', 'Gay haters', '_____ fill in the blank Ethnic/Race haters', 'Fat people haters', 'Disabled people haters', and/or simply haters of anyone or anything different thinking/reflecting than themselves, AND lets not forget the haters of those who argue against their inappropriateness and evil - AND who call them on it.
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People have been beaten up and killed over this stuff.
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Maybe it is realized then in people's minds that this stuff really isn't humorous, campy, irreverant, funny, expression or ok in the first place.
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There are those who would deny this fact - or are simply oblivious to this fact - but there are indeed boundries.
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It has to be seen for what it is.
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WRONG, and to be fought against, all the way around.
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Just because you can do something - or have the freedom to do something - doesn't mean that you should.
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The Golden Rule needs to be rediscovered.