Hate speech inside your newspaper....

Just curious how broad a spectrum it is out there...

 

My college paper ran a letter to the editor that ripped "queers." Gay-Straight Alliance protested us, but we made the right call by running the letter. People needed to see that there was a massive moron out there.

 

I agree in that instance, and you shouldn't censor simply because you dont' agree with what's said, but is there a point where you give hate groups a microphone to spread their words?
Where's the line, is there a line?
When you quote gay bashers should you quote gay supporters in the same story?

 

We have a high-profile gang-murder, gang-intimidation trial going on here, and the main families wrote and read letters ripping each other outside the courtroom, and we printed said letters. Interesting stuff.

 

Personally, I think it's all fair game. This stuff exists out there, part of our job is to show people that and let our readers make their own decisions. Most are decent and intelligent enough to see the haters for what they are, I'd think.

 

From the title I was thinking this thread was about speech in the office.

 

Me too.

 

My publisher has said flat out our paper would not publish hate speech. The only context I might do it is an instance when my college paper published racist hate letters directed at our school's SGA verbatim.

If someone wants to send in a virulently anti-whoever LTE, we aren't publishing it.

 

My opinion is that your publisher is doing readers a disservice. The public needs to know there are less tolerant people out there.

 

Would that be "inside your newsroom"? an intriguing topic, though