Uploaded October 2023 | Updated September 2026, 6 hours ago
Hate speech has been a growing and troubling phenomenon in the United States, as well as other democratic nations. Ill-intentioned individuals – some of them in power – have employed it to demean and harm already-marginalized people, incite violence, manipulate the public, and sow distrust in democracy itself. At the same time, efforts to curb hate speech through policy and regulation have raised concerns about silencing dissent and opposition, while offering a false sense of community stability. In a democratic country, where even ugly and detestable speech is generally protected, are there any measures that governments and educational institutions can adopt to foster a culture of respect and inclusivity, while at the same time protecting the principles of the First Amendment? What can the United States learn from others in this domain?
Christopher Chapp teaches courses on research methodology and American political behavior at St. Olaf College. He received a B.A. in Political Science and English from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, where he studied American politics with an emphasis on political psychology. His research interests include political communication, campaigns and elections, religion and U.S. politics, and the politics of class and inequality.
Ruth DeFoster teaches writing, moral philosophy, advertising, and popular cultures at the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota. Her professional background is in print journalism, and her research focuses on media coverage of crime, terrorism, gun violence, and mass shootings. DeFoster is the author of the 2017 book, Terrorizing the Masses: Identity, Mass Shootings, and the Media Construction of Terror, and the upcoming book, The Fear Knot: How Science, History and Culture Shape Our Fears, and How to Get Unstuck.
John Hinderaker, president of the Center of the American Experiment, was a litigator with a Minneapolis law firm for 41 years. He is a frequent commentator on radio and television in the United States and Australia. John graduated from Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School, and he has lectured at Dartmouth, Harvard, Carleton College, St. Olaf College, Macalester College, the University of Minnesota, and the University of St. Thomas Law School. Hinderaker founded the Power Line website in 2002.
Tom Crann (moderator) has been a host, producer, and interviewer for Minnesota Public Radio since 1995, and since 2005 has been the host of the local broadcast of “All Things Considered.” He anchored MPR’s award-winning live coverage of the 35W bridge collapse. Crann has also spent over 20 years hosting and producing classical music and cultural programs at public radio stations around the U.S, and for RTE/Lyric FM in Ireland, where he is still a contributor.
Hate speech has been a growing and troubling phenomenon in the United States, as well as other democratic nations. Ill-intentioned individuals – some of them in power – have employed it to demean and harm already-marginalized people, incite violence, manipulate the public, and sow distrust in democracy itself. At the same time, efforts to curb hate speech through policy and regulation have raised concerns about silencing dissent and opposition, while offering a false sense of community stability. In a democratic country, where even ugly and detestable speech is generally protected, are there any measures that governments and educational institutions can adopt to foster a culture of respect and inclusivity, while at the same time protecting the principles of the First Amendment? What can the United States learn from others in this domain?
Christopher Chapp teaches courses on research methodology and American political behavior at St. Olaf College. He received a B.A. in Political Science and English from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, where he studied American politics with an emphasis on political psychology. His research interests include political communication, campaigns and elections, religion and U.S. politics, and the politics of class and inequality.
Ruth DeFoster teaches writing, moral philosophy, advertising, and popular cultures at the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota. Her professional background is in print journalism, and her research focuses on media coverage of crime, terrorism, gun violence, and mass shootings. DeFoster is the author of the 2017 book, Terrorizing the Masses: Identity, Mass Shootings, and the Media Construction of Terror, and the upcoming book, The Fear Knot: How Science, History and Culture Shape Our Fears, and How to Get Unstuck.
John Hinderaker, president of the Center of the American Experiment, was a litigator with a Minneapolis law firm for 41 years. He is a frequent commentator on radio and television in the United States and Australia. John graduated from Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School, and he has lectured at Dartmouth, Harvard, Carleton College, St. Olaf College, Macalester College, the University of Minnesota, and the University of St. Thomas Law School. Hinderaker founded the Power Line website in 2002.
Tom Crann (moderator) has been a host, producer, and interviewer for Minnesota Public Radio since 1995, and since 2005 has been the host of the local broadcast of “All Things Considered.” He anchored MPR’s award-winning live coverage of the 35W bridge collapse. Crann has also spent over 20 years hosting and producing classical music and cultural programs at public radio stations around the U.S, and for RTE/Lyric FM in Ireland, where he is still a contributor.
