Gays in the NFL. How Do You Really Feel?

[The Goat]

Originally Posted by JoeRedskin

"Hate Speech"? Sorry, didn't realize the thought police were on the patrol.

You, and most of the US adult population, disagree with what he said - but, he is free to say it. You, in turn, are free to call him an ass. To him, or others, however, calling folks with a different viewpoint from yours "an effing insensitive discriminatory idiot" might also qualify as "Hate Speech".

Free speech is free speech and with it you are, in general, free to use hateful speech, unkind speech, vulgar speech, pretty speech, politically correct speech or any of plethora of adjectives you wish to put in front of "speech".

Sorry, the misuse, abuse and misunderstanding of the term "free speech" is a big pet peeve of mine. It is too important a concept to so cavalierly compartmentalized.

Question for the forum lawyer, and I'm not referring to the 49er player here. Yelling "fire" in a crowded theater is often referenced as a limitation on free speech, but what about language that incites violence against a person or group? Can that form of speech be muzzled so to speak?