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Tuesday, November 29, 2005 12:00 AM

A teenager, a T-shirt and ... terrorism?

How one girl's attire prompted an unwarranted case of air rage.
Andrew Leonard

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  • Tuesday, November 29, 2005 09:22 AM

    defining "hate speech"

    Let's get something straight here: the difference between "hate speech" and obnoxious speech. "Hate speech" is explicitly or implicitly threatening. Obnoxious speech is just....obnoxious. "Fuck this place," while rude and obscene, is not a threat. "Fuck [insert group or person of your choice]" is.

    I'm leery of censorship even when it concerns hate speech, but I think hate speech does differ from simple obnoxiousness in the same way the burning a cross on someone's lawn differs from simple vandalism.

    —JanetL Read JanetL's other letters

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