Free speech induces hate

Last Friday, May 26, Jeremy Joseph Christian is alleged to have killed two individuals, slashing their throats, while injuring a third, in an ugly attack in Portland.

The two individuals who died were Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche, 23, and Ricky John Best, 53. The third individual involved was Micah David-Cole Fletcher, a 21-year-old Madison High School graduate, former MHCC student and current Portland State student.

Christian identifies himself as a “white nationalist.” I should clarify that nationalism by itself is not a dangerous ideology, nor should we start treating others who display nationalism for their country with automatic disrespect. Not all nationalists support white nationalism and as much as I find any form of racial or ethnic superiority in nationalism to be repulsive, it would be wrong to assume that all white nationalists are aggressive individuals with the intent of so-called  “purifying” the United States by any means necessary.

There are also many different forms of nationalism, like civic nationalism, white or black nationalism, and ethnic nationalism. Nationalism is nothing more than the belief and pride for a one’s national identity and history, as well as culture. It’s widely believed that civic nationalism along with the personal feeling of responsibility to help out one’s neighbor has been what’s the driving force behind so many Americans of diverse backgrounds joining the war effort after the Pearl Harbor attack.

The May 26 incident began on an eastbound MAX train, as it approached the Hollywood transit station.

From witness accounts, Christian seemed to pick up a rant he had directed on another MAX train, less than 24 hours before. A smartphone video taken May 25 by a passenger (later posted by the Willamette Week newspaper) shows him spewing hatred similar to that heard the next day. He is heard saying “…what I am saying, fuck all you Christians and Muslims and fucking Jews, fucking die. Burn you at the stake just like you did to all my pagan ancestors. Fuck you, die.”

Christian then directed his verbal abuse towards MAX riders, screaming, “Fuck you; if you don’t like what I have to say to you, die,” the video shows. The passengers can hear Christian getting more angry and irritated, threatening to take out his anger with a knife if the MAX does not move more quickly.

It was more of the same the next day.

By witness accounts, Christian began a new rant. After being told to quiet down, he then addressed a young Muslim individual with a hijab, sitting next to her friend. At this point, everything quickly escalated, badly. He focused all of his anger, vitriol, and irritation on these innocent bystanders who only wanted to ride MAX without hearing un-muted vocal profanity from a hateful individual.

As he became more aggressive and abusive towards the young women, Namkai-Meche, Best, and Fletcher intervened – sadly, unable to de-escalate the situation without getting hurt.

When I first heard about the events, I was far from shocked until I heard that people ended up dying. Before I got my driver’s license, I was an avid MAX rider. Verbal abuse and the occasional hateful drunk conspiracy theorist was a usual encounter on the train. However, in recent months there has been an increase of hate crimes in the U.S., and in many western democratic societies, many times in the defense of free speech – a freedom I strongly support until it infringes on another individual’s ability to be free and act on their own freedoms.

I struggle to support freedom of speech when individuals promote and spew xenophobic and discriminatory rhetoric. Many people seem to be unaware of how the xenophobic and discriminatory rhetoric, coupled with an explicit desire to show superiority, as well as dominance, can lead to the subjugation of others, and a passive acceptance to that subjugation.

In the case of Christian, I find his defense of freedom of speech, even if he did not slash the throats of the three innocent individuals, still a repulsive and most certainly punishable offense. It should be condemned by anyone who truly supports free speech. Free speech should promote a healthy and passionate discourse between citizens; it should not consist of intentionally using vulgar, hateful language with the purpose of threatening or intimidating. That kind of speech does not encourage discourse between opposing views; instead, it creates rifts and divides.