Education

Wellesley Editors Threaten Violence Against Those Who Use ‘Hate Speech’

No featured image available

A college newspaper posted an article stating “hostility may be warranted” against people engaging in “hate speech.”

The Wellesley News published an article entitled “Free speech is not violated at Wellesley” in response to claims made by students, alumni, and faculty that the all-female private Wellesley College does not value free speech on Wednesday. The student newspaper subsequently took the piece offline.

“If people are given the resources to learn and either continue to speak hate speech or refuse to adapt their beliefs, then hostility may be warranted,” explain The Wellesley News editors. “If people continue to support racist politicians or pay for speakers that prop up speech that will lead to the harm of others, then it is critical to take the appropriate measures to hold them accountable for their actions.”

“It is important to note that our preference for education over beration regards students who may have not been given the chance to learn. Rather, we are not referring to those who have already had the incentive to learn and should have taken the opportunities to do so. Paid professional lecturers and politicians are among those who should know better.”

The Wellesley editors insist that racism, homophobia, sexism, Islamophobia, and transphobia constitute hate speech.

“Shutting down rhetoric that undermines the existence and rights of others is not a violation of free speech; it is hate speech,” says the piece. “The founding fathers put free speech in the Constitution as a way to protect the disenfranchised and to protect individual citizens from the power of the government. The spirit of free speech is to protect the suppressed, not to protect a free-for-all where anything is acceptable, no matter how hateful and damaging.”

Follow Rob Shimshock on Twitter

Connect with Rob Shimshock on Facebook

Send tips to [email protected].