Why Indeed Does Canada Still Have a Hate Speech Law?

In further response to Andrew Coyne’s article of July 9, why indeed does Canada still have a hate speech law?

The United States, the largest and longest standing democracy in the world does not think it is necessary in their free and democratic society. Why should it be necessary in ours? Are we, therefore, to be viewed as somewhat less capable of making intelligent decisions than our American cousin?

The hate speech in Canada puts upon an accused an impossible burden of proving the proof of many opinions about history, for which there is no presently existing evidence, but upon which many people have legitimate differing views. The necessity for the accused to prove truth of a statement which is not necessarily damaging to anyone in particular is a bizarre state of law that could never be justified in a free and democratic society.

Racism is a natural reaction of people to being overrun by cultures of a different moral and ethnic character. It is not necessarily based upon hatred at all, and may very well be based upon a desire for perpetuation of one’s own identity, which is never considered inappropriate if you happen to be a visible minority.

The hypocrisy involved in hate speech laws is an amazing thing to behold, and those of us who desire to see those laws abolished have many good reasons, too extensive to be set out here in their entirety, but upon which a full and thorough debate should be taking place.

Andrew Coyne’s article published in the National Post, of Tuesday July 10 was a useful and important beginning. I hope to hear more in that regard.