To the editor:

During my daily walk with my two rescues, I’ve noticed a few lawn signs that have popped up in the neighborhood recently. The message strikes me as odd. “Hate Has No Home Here” is the moniker. 

My curiosity was piqued and I “Googled” the phrase. A group from Chicago, Ill. recently started this movement. The essence of the message is and I quote from their website, “The Hate Has No Home Here project seeks to declare neighborhood residences, businesses, and places of community free from hate speech and behavior, providing safe places for conversation, work, learning, and living.” 

Hmmm, I don’t know a single person in town that is Pro-Hate, but that’s not the point these folks are attempting to make.

Unfortunately, they conflate the exercise of first amendment rights guaranteed to all Americans with the utopian ideal of banning “hate speech.” I understand their desire to have a more civil discourse, but disagree strongly with their mission. “Hate speech” is not the equivalent of violence. The former is protected, the latter is not. Consider Justice Alito’s majority opinion on the same, “The idea that the government may restrict speech expressing ideas that offend … strikes at the heart of the First Amendment. Speech that demeans on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, age, disability, or any other similar ground is hateful; but the proudest boast of our free speech jurisprudence is that we protect the freedom to express “the thought that we hate.”

As a Christian (Catholic), I’ve been subjected to “hate speech” most of my life. A crucifix in a toilet and the Blessed Virgin depicted in a controversial setting has been presented as contemporary art. Both have been declared as protected “speech”. There is arguably quite a bit of “hate speech” in social media every day, and that’s unfortunate. I don’t agree with most of it, but I’ve learned to tolerate it. I understand our Constitution, its strengths and its limitations.

I do however, respect the right of each and every American to speak their mind, even if it deeply offends. The idea that certain speech is hateful is highly subjective. I’m not in favor of limiting the free expression of ideas, no matter how controversial. That’s not American. Whether we like it or not, “hate speech” in all of its forms has been declared to be “protected speech” by the Supreme Court. I contend that these signs are really beacons of intolerance.

To my well-intentioned neighbors, I offer the following alternative “lawn sign”. Perhaps you should consider one that represents the essence of the time honored Judeo-Christian tradition… "Love God, Love your neighbor, Love your self.” 

Regarding these new signs. I’ll take a knee. 

Scott Fuller

Barrington