2024 HATE SPEECH ESSAY EXCERPTS

CRISIS FUELED BY POLITICIANS

Hate speech, especially from public figures, directly endangers human rights by inciting fear and violence against specific groups.  According to the Social Science Research Council, hate speech come from a “framework in which individuals differentiate the group the believe they belong to, or the ‘in-group,’ from the out group.”   Typically, these social categorizations are formed based on immutable qualities like nationality, ethnicity, or religion, often leading to prejudice-based discrimination.  In one psychological study, published in Scientific Reports, researchers took fMRI scans of participants’ brains while they listened to derogatory speech, concluding that “repeated exposure to negatively charged messages with a high emotional intensity leads to psychological desensitization” and reduced empathy. Gunnar Eklund, Staples High School, Westport, Connecticut, Can Free Expression Survive Hate Speech Regulation?

Hate speech fueled by politicians is a human rights crisis as it incites violence against marginalized groups…In the digital age where these messages can be amplified and spread to millions in seconds, the harm is greater than ever.  Karsten Langone, Staples High School, Westport, Connecticut, Hate Speech to Violence: America’s Social Media Enigma.

Public and political speeches given by influential figures or leaders that contain hateful rhetoric often hold significant power to incite violence.  Part of the problem is that leaders’ remarks do not fade away after they are given. Incendiary rhetoric from political leaders against minority groups, and other targets is often quickly magnified.   Public speech that contains bias and discrimination sets an example for its widespread audience, encouraging them to declare their own prejudices and act on them accordingly, even legitimizing hate-fueled aggression among supporters.  Yulisa Ma, Miss Porter’s School, Farmington, Connecticut. When Words Wound: The Case for Limiting Hate Speech to Protect Human Rights.

When politicians such as President Trump use global platforms to spread divisive rhetoric, like his anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant comments, it normalizes hate, stokes division and encourages violence against minorities. Hugo Richards, Walter Payton College Preparatory High School, Chicago, Illinois, Navigating the Line Between Liberty and Dignity.

CRISIS FUELED BY SOCIAL MEDIA

Nothing has fueled the rising quantity of hate speech more than social media. Perrin Root, Staples High School, Westport, Connecticut, Combating Hate Speech:  A Collective Controlled Effort.

The world has changed, most notably in the spread of information…In 2024 social media renders the entire world into one massive group chat…social media…amplifies the negativity of freedom of expression and opinion, snowballing one person’s hate to a world of hatred. Anne Mathea Yap Ed Kuan, Raffles Institution, Singapore, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Modern Times:  Refocusing the Perspective.

THE TOLERANCE PARADOX  

Balancing two imperatives—protecting free expression and preventing hate speech—is one of the most complex and urgent challenges of our time…Hate speech diminishes the quality of public debate and can create a climate of fear and intimidation, where people are less willing to participate in public life…In the digital age, much of the hate speech occurs online…Governments can play a role in ensuring that tech companies adhere to international human rights standards…  Governments should invest in education and public awareness campaigns that promote tolerance, respect, and empathy.   Marniya Watson, South Broward High School, Hollywood, Florida, The Balance Between Freedom of Expression and Combating Hate Speech: Navigating the Complexities of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Should a society tolerate intolerance at the risk of its own tolerance, or does it risk falling into authoritarianism in the name of progress? First proposed in the 1945 work The Open Society and its Enemies, by Austrian philosopher Karl Popper, the tolerance paradox is perhaps one of the most fundamental struggles of human society.  Joey Kilberg, Milwaukie Academy of the Arts, Milwaukie, Oregon, The Paradox of Tolerance.  

EDUCATION

Education must play a central role in combating hate speech.  Governments should invest in educational programs that promote critical thinking, empathy, and respect for diversity from an early age. Salma Alhabahbeh, Chaparral High School, Scottsdale, Arizona, Freedom of Speech and the Threat of Hate Speech: Navigating a Complex Terrain

Hatred is a learned behavior and thus requires some sort of indoctrination to take place.  Without proper education, immersion into different cultures, and association with diverse groups of people, people at time find hating groups of people easier than understanding them. Asher Ermentrout, Grimsley High School, Greensboro, North Carolina, The Threat of Hate Speech: Government Courses of Action.

Addressing hate speech at an early stage in life is an important tool to prevent the development and spread of hate.  Xiaoen Ye, Northern Utah Academy of Math Engineering and Science (Davis Campus), Layton, Utah, Finding Balance in Protecting Human Rights Between Freedom of Expression and Hate Speech.  

Governments need to address the root cause of hate speech through education and art, i.e. by making respective changes and additions in curricula to promote inclusivity and empathy. Rwiti Roy, Billabong International High School, Mumbai, India, Hate Speech and Human Rights: A Roadmap for Governments to Foster Inclusivity.

Public education is a crucial component in fostering long-term change, building resilience against hate speech, and cultivating a culture of empathy and respect.  By promoting media literacy, educational campaigns can teach individuals, particularly young people, how to critically evaluate online information and understand the power their words can hold.  Nations like Finland have integrated media literacy into their national curriculum…decreasing the likelihood of hate speech taking root.  Philip Marquard, Albuquerque Institute of Math and Science, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Balancing Freedom of Expression and Hate Speech: A Case for Measured Restrictions.

Education should be the first approach in fighting hate speech.  Education can be part of a broader strategy that emphasizes teaching the very young tolerance, understanding and respect for human diversity. Hashvitha A/P Suresh, Selangor, Malaysia, The Protection of Human Rights by Fighting Hate Speech Without Limiting Freedom of Expression.

Kids need to grow up understanding the power of their words. We need to teach empathy, kindness and respect for diversity from young age.  Nicole Odhiambo, Alliance Girls High School, Kikuyu Kenya.  

RISK OF SUPPRESSION

While hate speech is undeniably problematic … the suppression of such speech … poses a far greater risk to freedom of expression and the health of democracy itself. Torian Speranza, Homelife Academy Homeschool Umbrella, Selmer, Tennesee, The Dilemma of Hate Speech Regulation:  A Defense of Free Expression.

 The First Amendment is threatened by the limitations imposed on hate speech…Governments that have historically imposed speech restrictions in the name of preserving society frequently wind up concentrating power in ways that are detrimental to the very citizens they profess to protect. Brently Barnhill, Criss High School, Bluffton, South Carolina, Hate Speech:  An Infringement on the First Amendment.

Once limitations are improved it becomes easier for governments to use these laws to silence dissent.  by Marniya Watson, Villa Rica High School, Villa Rica, Georgia, The Balance Between Freedom of Expression and Combating Hate Speech: Navigating the Complexities of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.