Persuasive Essay Against Hate Speech

Around the world people take to the streets when they think there is an injustice in their country. Almost daily we can see images of protesters on TV, they are openly having their say. The United Nations recognised freedom of expression as a fundamental human right in its human rights declaration of 1948. Long before that though, during the French Revolution in 1789 freedom of speech was enshrined as a citizen’s basic right. But what does it actually mean, freedom of expression? It is the right to express your opinion publically, without fear of punishment. This liberty is understood as an essential part of a democratic society, and for this reason it has been bitterly contested in every society today. In democratic countries such as the US and in Europe freedom of expression is anchored in the constitution. According to the German constitution, everyone has the right to freely express and disseminate his or her opinion by speech, in writing and in images. It also applies to the media, to newspapers as well as to TV and radio broadcasts. Censorship is prohibited in a democracy to prevent opinions and information from being manipulated, but freedom of expression is not guaranteed country. Dictatorships and totalitarian regimes in particular suppress criticism; there are

Hate speech is the advocacy of national, racial and religious hatred that constitute incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence. For hate speech to be prohibited, it should suffice a hateful expression. It’s also required the advocacy of wrongful actions against a person or a group. Freedom of expression may also be suspended or derogated in case of certain grave emergencies, which threaten the security or survival of a State. Still, in such hypotheses it’s required that the suspension be authorised by law, that is necessary, proportionate and in consonance with the requirements of a democratic