Recently an Edmontonian man was charged with hate speech for a blog he wrote called The Baconfat Papers (www.sunrayzulu.blogspot.com). The blog has been removed, but I found some of his articles via Wayback Machine.
Now, while I hate racism and think it’s evil (and this guy’s blog was especially despicable — basically at the Westboro Baptist Church level), if a guy wants to write a racist blog, he has the right to do so. That’s free speech, and free speech is for jerks too. If you are offended, don’t read it.
If a guy writes a blog which physically threatens someone or calls for others to physically hurt someone, that’s different. That’s no longer free speech of course, since someone’s life may be in danger.
I don’t know if the author of Baconfat, Barry Winters, actually physically threatened anyone; maybe he did. If he did, yes he needs to be charged — but not with hate speech.
“Hate Speech” is one of those ambiguous terms that confuse the issue and leave too much room for abuse. If Barry Winters physically threatened someone, then let him be charged specifically for that. Or, if he called for others to physically hurt someone, let him be specifically charged for that. But if he just wrote a bunch of blogs about how he hates Natives and gays, so be it — that’s just his opinion. It’s evil and wrong, and you can either write to him and tell him why he’s wrong, or, more wisely, just ignore him. There are plenty of guys like Barry Winters out there. They pose no threat unless we give them a platform. And the way to remove their platform is to ignore them — not remove free speech for everybody. Because in the end, who will it be that defines “Hate Speech?”
~Further reading…
He may be Canada’s ‘ultimate troll,’ but should Edmonton blogger be charged for spreading hate?
This is What it’s Like to be a Race Baiter in Alberta
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Pursuit of Percipience 
Racist = Terrorist. And should be treated in the same heavy-handed way just like IS and other terrorists. You have to live with the consequence of the words you speak.
And if what you speak incites violence, invites hatred, gears towards dehumanisation of people just because they are different,… then you are infringing on their freedoms as well.
It’s wrong and has to be stopped.
Racist = Terrorist? What evidence do you have which shows that a lone blogger’s racist opinions are killing people?
If one’s words incite physical violence against others, are there not already laws to deal with that issue?
Are not individuals committing physical violence responsible for their own actions?
What cost are you willing to pay to silence those who offend you by their words?
Any ideology set up to weaken, demean, instill fear on people because they are not like you (…these are delusions of grandeur dreamt up in the sewers of ignorance to be honest..) must be stopped.
Justice, Equality, Diversity only exist in a civilized society/community. And this paves the way for Progress and Peace.
What price are you willing to pay to stop those who set up an ideology which weakens, demeans, and instills fear on those not like them? Would you be willing to imprison them for their opinions? Would you be willing to demean them, weaken them, and instill fear into their lives in order to silence them? What if they fight back? Where does this society of justice, equality, and diversity exist other than in your mind? What evidence do you have that would support the idea that silencing racists (or anyone who doesn’t live according to your moral standard) would pave the way to progress and peace? How do you define progress? Do you believe in intellectual diversity? I could go on and on…..
You’re meandering with your words… Re-read my previous comments, they are an appropriate response…
You make a strong claim in your comments. I’m only asking you to justify your claim. Could you answer just one of my questions? Just choose one.
The answers are in my first two comments… Self explanatory.
LOL… So, no…
LOL… So, yes… RE-READ THE COMMENTS… Straight forward statements… If you don’t understand them, … I don’t know how you can be helped. Time is short, it’s best I don’t waste it here… (Just keep reading them until you understand, or ask for input from someone on the matter…) Have a good day…
Your blog is an example of Free Speech…