Hispanic Media Coalition lobbies for inquiry on hate speech in media

By Kay B. Day

Rescue pup Rusty may need diversity classes. He always barks at men who wear hats.In a rambling petition a group of activist organizations lobbying as the National Hispanic Media Coalition has petitioned the Federal Communications Commission to presumably use taxpayer funds to “examine the extent and effects of hate speech in media, including the likely link between hate speech and hate crimes, and to explore non-regulatory ways to counteract its negative impacts.”

At first glance it seems ridiculous to examine a thesis if the conclusion is foregone—apparently the NHMC believes the link is “likely” so we could probably save everyone a lot of time and money if the coalition just proceeded with whatever protest, endeavor or awareness campaign they choose.

The hate speech petition goes on for 25 pages. The targets are predictable—talk radio, the “cloak of anonymity” some on the Internet use and the current “media landscape ridden with false, misleading, divisive and dehumanizing language, some of which actually rises to the level of incitement to violence.”

The group cites the Southern Poverty Law Center who would probably classify our rescue pup as a purveyor of hate because Rusty barks at men who wear hats.

Expect the usual ire from conservatives about this request—such requests belong in third world countries and totalitarian governments, not in a free country.

Most on the left will probably stay silent, at least until some of their fav bloggers and comics get hauled up for hate speech. Some on the left endorse the hate speech petition, possibly seeing it as a means to control all media rather than just government-allied media.

MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, OTHER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES BACK COALITION
What’s the most troubling aspect? Members of Congress, the group said, are among their supporters—“The Petition has also been endorsed by letters from numerous U.S. Senators and Representatives, and, notably, by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which sent a letter on April 1, 2010, urging Chairman Genachowski to grant NHMC’s requests.”

The group also has support from other federal employees: “On April 21st the Congressional Hispanic Caucus sent a similar letter to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (“NTIA”), urging it to update its 1993 report, The Role of Telecommunications in Hate Crimes. NTIA’s Assistant Secretary, Lawrence Strickling, promptly responded to the Caucus, expressing that he shares the ‘concern about the potential for electronic media to encourage hate crimes,’ and noting that technological advances that have occurred since 1993 have ‘created opportunities for those who traffic in hate and division.’”

The country would be better served if Strickling returned to practicing law in the private sector.

Hate speech can often be found in comments threads following articles on the Web. I personally have heard hate speech on the street as well. Should we now hire speech cops like the health cops Democrats funded in the travesty many referred to as Obamacare?

DEMOCRATS, IDENTITY POLITICS AND CLASS WARFARE
The United States is a country where we have the right to speak whether the person who hears it agrees with us or not. The Obama administration has already ramped up the laws related to so-called ‘hate crimes,’ largely to satisfy Democrats who have long engaged in identity politics and class warfare. 

The best thing for the petitioners to do is stop listening if something bothers you—that’s what I do if I enter the room and someone’s watching Bill Maher or Keith Olbermann or Sarah Bernhard. There are also leftwingies like Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.)--would the speech po-po bust the guy because of his vitriol?

One rather comical moment in the petition relates to the ‘broadcast localism’ wish many statists want in hopes of piggybacking on conservative talk programs since most statist talk programs implode or go bankrupt. There is the predictable rant against Arizona’s alien law and additional rants about how media fails minorities.

By the way, a fellow from Mexico controls a large sum of bucks required to operate one of the most oft-cited newspapers in the land (The New York Times). And I can go to the TV and listen to programs in Spanish all day long. Or I can select a channel that features African-American content. Or if I’m desperate and there's only one channel in the world available, I can listen to MSNBC.

It’s possible the petition is laying the foreground for advocacy groups that rely on identity politics to go after federal grants and such. Who knows?

It’s obvious few involved in the request and in the lofty replies from government employees including Congress have actually read the US Constitution much less understand the limits placed on what government can do about media and free speech.

It’s also obvious pushers of identity politics miss the greatest lesson of all, one that many of us lobbied for as activists years ago—that we are all Americans and regardless of color or an accent (or none), one of us is no more special than the other despite what Democrats promote. The lesson these ideology pushers do get is mercenary--for some politicians and media figures, identity politics is profitable.

The petition reflects an advocacy trend that smacks of totalitarianism and third world governance. That members of the US Congress are on board should trouble every one of us—leftwingers, rightwingers and centrists as well as libertarians and those who have sooners who bark at men who wear hats.

Comments

[Administrative Assist classes LA]

I think it seems ridiculous to examine a thesis if the conclusion is forgone....?

[Kay B. Day, Editor]

Your point, other than to possibly promo your link?