I agree for the most part with what Lakoff says about hat speech, and the people who haven’t had to hear it or be subject to it. Lakoff says that people who haven’t had to deal with hate speech “just don’t get it”. In my opinion I think no matter whom you are, no matter your cultural background, your religion, your gender, heritage, or whatever, I still think you experience hate speech. Granted some hate speech is far worse than others, it is still hate speech. I know for a fact that not many white people realize the significance of the n-word; we know it is wrong to say it but we don’t actually know what it feels like to hear it or be called it. The same goes for everyone, any click or group or class you are not in, you don’t know what it feels like to hear or be called the derogatory terms given to those select groups. This is why I think people can rationalize these terms in their minds, and be able to say them, because they don’t realize the significance of the hate speech that they are giving. If people truly knew then they wouldn’t say these derogatory, demeaning terms and hate speech. I just wish we could live one day in someone else’s shoes, someone of a different race, religion, background etc, and see these things from their perspective and vise versa, I think that would change a lot of hate speech and if nothing else it would give some perspective on what we are actually saying. All that aside I think people have an idea of what they are saying and what it means, just because people “just don’t get it” doesn’t rid them of the responsibilities that come with the kind of hate speech they are using. Just because people who haven’t experienced hate speech don’t have perspective on the actually hate speech doesn’t mean that they don’t know it is wrong. Hate speech deals with morals and character and I think everyone is aware of these lines and not to cross them. It is the responsibility of all of us as human being to know what we are saying, know who is around us, and know that what we are saying might offend someone. It’s funny when people say forms of hate speech in a joke, and because they said it and didn’t actually mean it, then it’s ok. That is a common misconception, because again like Lakoff said we “just don’t get it”. This is the whole ideal that I’m not offended so you shouldn’t be. People are all different and just because someone of a certain group isn’t offended by a certain form of hate speech, doesn’t mean that someone else of the same group will have the same opinion. This is why it is best just to avoid racial and ethnic slurs, because even when joking they can still be very damaging.
To: Cole
ReplyDeleteI agree with the fact that you’re agreeing with Lakoff, when the quote,” We just don’t get it” comes into play, but I don’t agree to it fully. I believe someone people just don’t get it and they just go along with what everyone else has to say. To a certain extent, its true that some people may not fully understand hate speech towards a certain group if they are not part of that group. I also believe that some people do get it and still continue on with hurtful words and actions. Many of us are aware of what hate speech can do, most of us have used it in some form or another to get revenge, to insult someone when we have victimized, or just to talk about someone we don’t like behind their backs.
There are some instances where some people may not be in the same ethnic group or groups of similar religions and still understand how some derogatory terms may hurt them. I hate when someone tries to argue that “you don’t get it, your not one of us”. I think if we’re not let in to understand what they’re going through then we will never get through all of this hate speech and experience it as they do.
I agree with you, I believe that whether you have lived through hate speech of not, you still know what is it. Humans have the ability of imagination and I’m sure everyone does the “in your shoes” to feel what it’s like, but never will they get a full understanding of what it really feels like. I also agree with you that unless you are in these certain “clicks” you don’t know what it is like to be called names used for them. Most people who are not African American do not even know the true meaning of the “n” word, which is why they don’t know what it is like. These people will never know what it is like to be called this word which is thrown around in today’s generation for any little thing. Everyone knows they are capable of hurting someone’s feelings and the excuses should not be heard. It is immoral to use hateful speech towards someone and it will only cause problems along the long run for both sides. It’s not a case of “we just don’t get it” because everyone knows it hurts even a little which should be enough. There are far more important things that to be rude all the time.
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