WashPost: A "hate speech" horseman of a different color

[Rich Graves <rich@c2.org>]

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Search July 15th www.washingtonpost.com for "massive armamentarium" [sic].

With Innovative Use, the Web Empowers the First Amendment

By John Schwartz 
Washington Post Staff Writer 
Monday, July 15 1996; Page F19
The Washington Post

[...]
Lately, though, I've gotten a nice, big dose of hope from watching 
hatemongers on the Net as they duke it out with the truth-squaders. In 
any intellectual combat, those who can support their arguments with 
facts are better armed. And guess what? The Internet gives us a new kind 
of arsenal.

That might go against what you've been reading. A lot of journalists are 
discovering "hate speech" on the Internet -- racism, antisemitism, the 
whole vile package. It's the cover story for the current issue of 
Emerge, with the arresting image of a mouse cord tied in a noose. Such 
groups as the Simon Wiesenthal Center in California try to persuade 
publications to run stories on this loathsome trend, and they urge 
governments to drive those who spread messages of hate off the Net.
[...]
The on-line guest book at Nizkor is an evolving testament to the power 
of free speech. One visitor wrote:

"As the child of survivors of the Holocaust I am particularly dismayed 
when intelligent and reasonable people are influenced by revisionist 
pap. I'm often frustrated to the point where I'd sooner tolerate 
censorship than the promulgation of neo-Nazi lies. Your work restores my 
faith in reasoned debate and the drive of honest people to find and 
spread the truth."

Memo to the Founders: Thanks, guys. You got it right.

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