9 ms·

When a state defines 'hate speech' laws they're really defining 'thought criminal' laws. Merkle and co. are trying to manipulate public opinion through the des

When a state defines 'hate speech' laws they're really defining 'thought criminal' laws. Merkle and co. are trying to manipulate public opinion through the destruction of contrarian thought from the public realm.

embik 11y ago
No they are not (as outlined aboved). Death threats are not part of any public discourse nor political statements. People are able to oppose the government's policies without being silenced. On a related note, the hate speech laws have not been introduced by the Merkel government.
germanier 11y ago
Hate speech laws and thought crimes are on a totally different level. In Germany you are completely free to use the most blatant hate speech as much as you like as long as you don't do so in public. Those laws are also not created by "Merkel and co." but decades old and introduced by the allies after the second world-war.
gotchange 11y ago
When someone incites people to attack Cologne mayor Henriette Reker in an attempt to kill her for her positive views and policies regarding immigration and refugees, I'd classify this speech as "hate speech & call for violence" and should be dealt with swiftly and firmly in accordance with the law.
pluma 11y ago
It's not just hate speech. "Volksverhetzung" implies that it is also incitement to commit crimes. When you stand on the street and loudly demand that specific people or groups of people should be killed or injured in specific ways, that's a different matter from just saying those same people shouldn't be allowed into the country or should be deported. One is demanding a change in policy or political action. The other is demanding vigilante "justice" and lynching. This has nothing to do with Merkel (who btw is a conservative -- her refugee policy has been the single most liberal thing she did since entering office) and everything to do with upholding the constitution and the state of law. Whether you demand the murder of refugees, nazis or antifa, if you openly do so while addressing the public, you are committing a crime under German law. The law protects all humans, not just refugees.

embik 11y ago

No they are not (as outlined aboved). Death threats are not part of any public discourse nor political statements. People are able to oppose the government's policies without being silenced. On a related note, the hate speech laws have not been introduced by the Merkel government.

germanier 11y ago

Hate speech laws and thought crimes are on a totally different level. In Germany you are completely free to use the most blatant hate speech as much as you like as long as you don't do so in public. Those laws are also not created by "Merkel and co." but decades old and introduced by the allies after the second world-war.

gotchange 11y ago

When someone incites people to attack Cologne mayor Henriette Reker in an attempt to kill her for her positive views and policies regarding immigration and refugees, I'd classify this speech as "hate speech & call for violence" and should be dealt with swiftly and firmly in accordance with the law.

pluma 11y ago

It's not just hate speech. "Volksverhetzung" implies that it is also incitement to commit crimes. When you stand on the street and loudly demand that specific people or groups of people should be killed or injured in specific ways, that's a different matter from just saying those same people shouldn't be allowed into the country or should be deported. One is demanding a change in policy or political action. The other is demanding vigilante "justice" and lynching. This has nothing to do with Merkel (who btw is a conservative -- her refugee policy has been the single most liberal thing she did since entering office) and everything to do with upholding the constitution and the state of law. Whether you demand the murder of refugees, nazis or antifa, if you openly do so while addressing the public, you are committing a crime under German law. The law protects all humans, not just refugees.