Hate Speech and the First Amendment

PART A: Which statement best identifies the central idea of the text?

• There is a fine line between discouraging hate speech and compromising one's right to freedom of speech.

• Freedom of speech does not protect one's right to incite violence from someone through verbal harassment.

• Hate speech is more damaging than hate acts due to the fact that words often incite action.

• The thoughts that motivate one's action can influence the severity of one's punishment for that action.

PART B: Which detail from the text best supports the answer to Part A?

• "In this country there is no right to speak fighting words — those words without social value, directed to a specific individual, that would provoke a reasonable member of the group about whom the words are spoken." (Paragraph 2)

• "One way to deal effectively with hate speech is to create laws and policies that discourage bad behavior but do not punish bad beliefs." (Paragraph 4)

• "In criminal law, penalties are usually based on factors such as the seriousness of the act, whether it was accidental or intentional, and the harm it caused to the victim." (Paragraph 8)

• . "He came across as having a confusing set of beliefs that were out of place in a democratic, multicultural society. Several faculty and students spoke out against his message of hatred." (Paragraph 15)

PART A: How does the section "Success on Campus" contribute to the development of ideas in the text?

• It provides an example in which free speech was defended under controversial circumstances, but not suppressed.

• It shows the extent of damage that hate speech can cause.

• It draws attention to the need for the government to harshly regulate hate speech.

• It outlines the difference between hate speech and hate acts.

PART B: Which quote from the text best supports the answer to Part A?

• "Matt Hale, a notorious racist, was recently asked to speak at the University of Illinois at Springfield." (Paragraph 15)

• "Hale is the leader of the World of the Creator, a white supremacist group. His presence on campus was controversial." (Paragraph 15)

• "Several students, faculty, and community members thought that the university should cancel his appearance." (Paragraph 15)

• . "By allowing Hale to speak, the university recognized free speech rights but also provided a means for community members to respond." (Paragraph 16)

How does the author best support the viewpoint that free speech is a complex idea where it is hard to please all Americans?

• The author says that "In this country there is no right to speak fighting words - those words without social value..."

• The author claims that we should punish and focus on bad behavior and the actions of individuals.

• The author presents two political perspectives: libertarians and communitarians.

• The author gives an anecdote about Matt Hale, a racist, who was allowed to speak on campus.

How do the two court cases help to develop a central idea in the text?

• They both show instances of injustice in our society and demonstrate that hatred goes unpunished.

• They both explain why the law is often used against People of Color instead of white people.

• They both exemplify how law and policy in America has protected the hateful beliefs of individuals while seeking to punish their actions

• They both provide evidence that our legal system is often conflicted with what to do with hatred and hateful beliefs.