Hate Speech in blogs

I think this week's discussions about hate speech was very interesting and an important issue to discuss about. The Court's definition for what categorizes hate speech is a bit vague, but as always issues vary in certain situations from case to case. I can't help but think about an email I had received a few months ago from someone (not too sure if it was a male or female but beside the point) voicing their dislikes or shall I say hate for Chamorro people. I must admit I was rather offended and hurt by most of the issues this person talked about degrading my people and pretty much stating Guamanians are a waste of space. I still have the email so I could analyze it and code it as hate speech if it was. Because it was really hurtful. Which brings me back to the issue of intent. I think it's hate speech if you intend to harm someone emotionally and psychologically with words. Words are powerful and though they may not inflict physical harm, I think it inflicts more lasting pain if it affects someone emotionally and psychologically. Threats alone could affect someone's psyche. No one wants to live in constant fear and worry that one day they're going to die or be brutally beaten. That's just wrong. I just don't understand how people get off playing off the fears of others through intimidation. I think it's just psychotic especially if all your anger and hate has driven you to drastic measures to physically harm someone.

But anyway, back to the email I received. I asked Dave yesterday if that type of email would be considered hate speech and to what extent was it protected if it wasn't. I received it on myspace which is a whole issue in itself considering there are certain guidelines to abide by in the virtual space. Summarizing some things the emailer wrote is that "Chamorro women ought to be murdered" because they are overpopulating the island, and Chamorro men are "good for nothing lazy asses" who waste their time doing absolutely nothing living off the system. The emailer also went on claiming the island was a "shithole" in regards to the hot weather, government, and the people. I really don't want to go on anymore considering this is a sensitive issue for me, but I would've never thought people like this still existed. I'm just so proud of my island and yes I realize there are some bad characteristics about it, but I think the locals and citizens of the island are the only ones who have that right to criticize it because they live and breathe the problems of the island. I thought could be a visitor or a military person who went there and just had a bad experience or encountered all the wrong people. But Guam is a very family-oriented place and shows overall hospitality to everyone. We're easy going people and sure we may have our problems, but what society doesn't.

I wish there could be anthropologists and ethnographers that go along with these people to ensure they have an open mind for different cultures. I think this is another barrier the person may have had. As with any culture, if you don't know or have lived the culture or in the society you have no right to provide your assumptions and interpretations about those people. There are so many things happening in one issue and most of it is influenced or derives out of the culture and one just cannot compare the differences with their own culture because that leaves too much room for judgments wrong ones at that. Whatever happened to having respect for one another? I know when I go to foreign countries I try my best to understand and observe what is going on in cultural and traditional contexts of that society before I draw any conclusions about its citizens. I would hope that everyone who leaves this country to visit another is culturally and diversely aware of differences and respects them.

"Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness."