Two University of Connecticut students, peaceably exploring (among themselves) the realm of offensive language, chambered the word ni**er and fired. In an empty parking lot. On-campus. But someone in a nearby dorm heard them. Guess who got arrested?
Related: Michigan Man’s First Am. Win Reminds Us – People In Power Will Suppress Free Speech
The two were charged under a Connecticut State law that criminalizes ridiculing “any person or class of people on account of creed, religion, color, denomination, nationality, or race.” The misdemeanor is punishable by up to 30 days in jail, a fine of $50, or both. The third individual was not charged for saying the slur.
First, it’s a nasty word with all sorts of negative connotations. Like the infamous c-word, it should be avoided. Using it is insensitive and crass. But it is not a crime, nor is it hate speech, nor a hate crime. It is a word.
So is Nazi. The National Socialists (Nazis) invaded peaceful nations. Killed, murdered, executed, gassed, experimented, and tortured human beings. They tried to kill all the Jews. They are racists and supremacists using political ideology to justify the abuse and murder or races and classes of people.
But calling me a Nazi is not a crime, nor should it. Beating me up while calling me a Nazi would be assault or aggravated assault. Even if I was a Nazi, which I’m not, contrary to popular left-wing-moon-bat opinion.
The assault is the crime. And while ni**er is a nasty word with a history of discrimination, abuse, and murder, meddling in motives is a game meant to lead us to places where the force majority defines our words and punishes us at will based, not on our intent, but theirs.
That’s a very bad place.
And while I’m sorry if your feelings were hurt, tyranny is a more significant and permanent threat to life and liberty than hurt feelings.
(Then, of course, there’s this guy. A total douchebag but taxpayers have to support him for 8-months in jail for a racial slur? Seriously?)
As to the matter at UConn, snowflakes melted. The SJW’s are losing their minds. But the state of Connecticut, which passed the law under which these students are charged, has a bigger problem. It will fail if this gets too far up the Federal Court food chain.
It is unclear whether the statute violates First Amendment grounds.
It is obvious to me, doubly so in this case. This is random speech assumed to be reasonably private and consensual (if not unnecessarily loud). It should be nearly impossible to prosecute it in anything but a Kangaroo court.
The cries by activists to stiffen speech laws on campus will ultimately be met with legal force and should fail.
Why?
How do you prove ridicule when no reasonable person could identify a specific target of the use of the word other than the two young men – labeled as white but clearly not – exchanging banter between themselves and a friend (who was not charged).
Uncouth, tasteless, ill-advised, but to suggest that you cannot use words people might accidentally overhear. Who are the idiots that want us to live in that world?
They’re almost all Democrats.
They should be removed from positions of power and influence in the next available election. And not just in Connecticut.
| NRO
