A New York taxi driver who was a victim of a stabbing (bottom right) speaks to the media while surrounded by supporters in August, 2010. (Seth Wenig | AP. Source: Christian Science Monitor)
At a panel discussion (about hate crimes faced by Sikh Americans) organized by law students at the University of Miami last month, law professor David Abraham discusses hate speech, hate crimes and the complexities around legislation to address them:
“The U.S. is at the individualist and libertarian extreme. We let Nazis march in Jewish neighborhoods, Klansmen burn crosses, and talk radio go bonkers. Responding to their own historical experiences, other countries see speech as a contribution to democracy, and by that measure there is no room for insulting, degrading, and excluding people, or groups of people, whether by speech or by action.”
The panel discussion also featured Arvind Singh, a member of the local Sikh community who is a graduate of the law program and a community organizer.
Read more here.
americanturban.com 