Hate Speech on Campus

Colleges and universities have always portrayed themselves as the bastions of free speech and expression. However, in the growing diversity of college communities, more universities struggle to maintain the balance between protecting free speech and providing a welcoming learning environment for all its constituents.

As a result, many campuses have initiated speech codes, intended to protect people and groups from hate speech, which is often accompanied by violence. This in turn has given rise to charges that though hate speech may be offensive, it is also free speech and therefore deserves protection under the First Amendment.

The first part of this paper examines arguments that hate speech deserves constitutional protection. The next part then examines how hate speech hurts victims and destroys tolerance. In the conclusion, this paper argues that the First Amendment protects even hate speech. Thus, campus speech codes and other restrictions on freedom...
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