Hate speech

It is clear that the legal systems of the USA and the European countries have different treatment of hate speech and its position in the space which belongs to freedom of expression. In the US legal system hate speech is an integral part of the free expression while in Europe it represents an abuse of the basic human right to freedom of speech. Dilemmas about which approach is correct and whether there is a limit of freedom of expression in a democracy and if there is where should the line be drawn are not easily solved and there is no universal answer: even the best intention to prevent the spread of hatred can easily deviate in totalitarian ban on different opinion and criticism; on the other hand excessive openness in society on different views and attitudes can be deformed in the abuse of the right to free expression and losing the sense of responsibility towards public speech. This book tries to answer these crucial issues.