Charles Lawrence On Racist Speech Summary

“On Racist Speech” an article written by Charles R. Lawrence III speaks about the controversy because of what the First Amendment abides to, and how it’s right to the people is being abused through racial prejudice speech. Lawrence uses logic, ethos, and examples to emphasize his point and Lawrence states his thesis when he clearly states his opposition of the racist and prejudice speech being protected by the First Amendment. Lawrence uses the case “Brown v. the Board of Education” as an example to give his readers a situation to show how the people having freedom to use racial speech was causing uncomfortable environment for those receiving these comments. Lawrence begins his first paragraph by stating that he spent a better part of his

A minority student should not be scared to walk across campus because they feel they are going to be racially assaulted, they should instead feel safe and at home.
The oppositions of Lawrence’s paper argue stating that in the position of the minorities being silenced is not necessarily true because the person being insulted could say something back that is just as offensive. The person could also be choosing to be the bigger person.
Lawrence understands that the government cannot regulate racist speech because people have the right to listen or ignore them. The people that choose to this do not see such acts as necessary because most feel it is only offensive when it going on in the home, Lawrence argues against that stating that the campus and universities. Lawrence feels as though in order to stop the racial and prejudice assault, the campuses and universities will have to set up regulations, in which they instill, it might lead up to racial violence are the students homes. The peoples misunderstanding of the First Amendment will always lead to confusing within such topics that goes against the First