Senator Seeks To Regulate TV, Internet, Radio For ‘Hate Crimes’

Senator Edward Markey

Democrat Sen. Edward Markey from Massachusetts says the government should crack down on broadcast messages that promote what he calls hate crimes, by regulating content on television, radio and the Internet, according to The Washington Times.

He’s proposed commissioning a government study to find ways to stop the broadcast outlets from “encouraging hate crimes” through their various communications, Breitbart reported.

But First Amendment supporters say it can’t be done.

“This proposed legislation is worse than merely silly,” said civil liberties lawyer Harvey Silverglate, in Breitbart. “It is dangerous. It is not up to Sen. Markey, nor to the federal government, to define for a free people what speech is and is not acceptable.”

Mr. Markey’s bill would not only commission a study, it would also call on the researchers to identify hate speech and recommend how to stop it. Mr. Markey defended his bill by saying that it makes “crystal clear that any recommendations must be consistent with the First Amendment’s free speech protections,” Breitbart reported.