Westboro Baptist Church should be shut down

Before we begin, I'll point out that I am completely against what the Westboro Baptist Church stands for and advocates, which is straight up hate and ignorance. However Noam Chomsky once said "If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all. " I agree with those sentiments. Pro mentioned the first amendment at the conclusion of his round, and admittedly I will be discussing freedom of speech and expression throughout this debate. However much of what the Westboro Baptist Church engages in is straight up hate speech which is in fact illegal. I will be arguing that it should possibly not be illegal, or at the very least that the Westboro Baptist Church not be shut down even if it engages in illegal hate speech. Hate speech is any speech, gesture, conduct, writing or display that is forbidden because it may incite violence or prejudicial action against or by a protected individual or group [1]. First off, why should hate speech be illegal? People do not have the right to not be offended, however Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights among other groups recognize the right to free speech [2]. In "On Liberty, " John Stuart Mill argued that ". .. there ought to exist the fullest liberty of professing and discussing, as a matter of ethical conviction, any doctrine, however immoral it may be considered" [3]. Indeed the right to express one's opinions and seek to implement one's beliefs in political discourse is considered not only a right but a responsibility by many activists. As such, the people from the Westboro Baptist Church are simply exercising their rights. If one does not like hearing people say "God hates f@gs," then perhaps they should remove themselves from the situation where the people are audible to them. Freedom of speech includes the freedom not to agree, not to listen and not to support one's own antagonists. In cases such as soldier's funerals, the church and/or community where the funeral is being held should obtain police protection, barriers and/or other ordinances to protect the privacy of the family and respect the property rights of funeral parlor owners and the like. The WBC does not have the right to parade through public streets or disrupt public and private affairs. They are however permitted to assemble on their own property. They do not have the right to clog the streets. They can speak but not take action on public property. If ANY laws are broken, the specific people who committed the crimes should be held accountable and punished. However to dismantle an entire organization because you don't agree with their beliefs or practices is fundamentally wrong. The Westboro Baptist Church is not a single entity but an organization. Why punish an entire group for the actions of a few? Even if every last member of the church participated in this despicable and pathetic behavior, they should be punished individually. There is a huge difference between annoying/upsetting people and violating the rights of others. Once again the WBC should not be allowed to impede on anybody else's rights. However thus far Pro has mentioned violations such as picketing or shouting hateful remarks -- neither of which are (or should be) illegal. I'm pretty sure those who marched during the Civil Rights Movement were picketing and upsetting people too. The hippies who protested the war in the 1960s were also exercising their right to be heard. Pro says the WBC should be shut down on the basis that it's a hate group. Once again, hate crimes are actions that may incite violence or prejudicial action -- key word here being "may. " I'll repeat that if anyone actually commits a violent action against another, then that individual should most definitely be punished. However to condemn something because it MAY encourage bad behavior is just silly. We don't prohibit violent games or media on the basis that it may promote violence in people -- and studies show it does [4]. We don't criminalize cigarettes on the basis that they can and often do cause cancer. Instead, we let people be responsible for their own actions. To re-cap, members of the WBC should be held accountable for their actions as individuals. The group should not be dismantled. The group cannot and does not hurt people as an entity in itself. The question then becomes whether or not hate speech should be illegal. I say no. Just as the WBC members are entitled to their (incredibly flawed) opinions, their opponent's are equally capable of getting their opinions heard. When we start putting limitations on what is acceptable and not acceptable to say, our freedom is immediately stifled. This sets a precedent for dangerous censorship and oppression. Moreover, my opponent hasn't provided any reasoning as to why the government or any agency acting on its behalf should have the capability of silencing the ignorant. Pro has said "I'm arguing that it would have a positive effect if they were in some way barred from openly preaching such unguarded hatred. " While it's probably true that it would be a good thing if this group were to just disappear, that doesn't mean it should be shut down by force. Ayn Rand points out "The Bill of Rights reads: 'Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press . . . ' It does not demand that private citizens provide a microphone for the man who advocates their destruction, or a passkey for the burglar who seeks to rob them, or a knife for the murderer who wants to cut their throats" [5]. In conclusion, the Westboro Baptist Church has the right to freedom of expression. If any member oversteps the law or other boundaries, action should be taken against that person. However to shut down the organization on the premise of disagreeing with their moral values as a whole is dangerous, oppressive and unfair. There is no moral or legal obligation to affirm the resolution. - References - [1] . http://en.wikipedia.org... [2] . http://www2.ohchr.org... [3] . http://www.seop.leeds.ac.uk... [4] . http://allpsych.com... [5] Rand, Ayn. The Virtue of Selfishness - pg. 99