Panel: What’s the best way to deal with hate speech?

Brianna Matthews, Tom Rockman, Jr., and George K. Gramer, Jr. weigh in on this week’s question.

Brianna Matthews

The 1^st amendment gives us the right to say what we want without interference from our government, but it’s a double-edged sword that protects some pretty awful hate speech aimed at our community.

I think we should be stronger than to respond with more hate speech. I find that the best counter involves that old saying: “Kill ‘em with kindness!” We have to take the high road when it comes to hateful and derogatory comments, no matter how painful.

Take the former leader of the Westboro Church, for example. When he died, many members of the LGBT community offered their condolences — even though we were the target of his followers’ insults and hateful protests. In doing so, we demonstrated that our community is capable of overcoming hate through peace. Pointing fingers and shouting names only perpetuates ignorance and provides fodder for those who will cast stones in return. n

Brianna Matthews is a 40-something post-op trans woman, lesbian, and telecommunications professional working for a major telecom.

Tom Rockman, Jr.

What is the difference between hate speech and freedom of expression? Where do we draw the line? It seems to me that hate speech has the intent to inflame and instigate a situation that leads to bullying, harassment, and potential violence towards another human being. Freedom of expression, on the other hand, is the ability to express yourself truthfully and honestly with another person regardless of the situation in the course of normal everyday life (even though it may hurt and you may not like it).

We  have NO CONTROL over other peoples’ freedom of expression including hate speech. You cannot legislate or preempt peoples’ thoughts and speech. Per U.S. Supreme Court precedent, we can only be accountable for our own actions. Our detractors have the right to their opinions and us queer folk just have to grin, bear, and laugh at it, but we can come back swinging with our own responses, reactions, and opinions, and just let their small-minded, prejudicial, and misguided remarks speak for their themselves.

Tom Rockman Jr. is a card-carrying Yooper, former flyboy, queer journalist, DragNation fanatic, comedy/horror/sci-fi addict, aspiring policy wiz, and online provocateur.

George K. Gramer, Jr.

Probably very few people in the Out Front reading audience have been the specific targets of hate speech. I think the best response is to ignore it and move on.

I try to ignore hatred focused at me. I spoke to a group of about 7,000 people at Magness Arena two years ago.  About 200-400 people began to boo my message of marriage equality and the rights of same-sex parents to adopt. I focused on what I was saying, finished my speech, and received loud cheers from the other 6800 people. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So is love, so is hate. We (cumulatively) love decency, and we despise hate.

A former Republican congressman recently said, “Freedom of speech is fine as long as no one is offended by it.”  Some people today are too easily offended by a smidgen of words (even words taken out of context) that they do not personally like. That is not necessarily hate speech; that is a lack of comprehension by the offended.

There is truly a very thin line between hate and love. Your response – either ignore them or firmly state your truth back to their hate. 

Iowa native George Gramer, Jr. is the president of the Colorado Log Cabin Republicans.