CNN "New Day" anchor Chris Cuomo drew plenty of Twitter ire Wednesday after saying that hate speech is not protected under the Constitution.
Twitter user Brett MacDonald tweeted at the "too many people are trying to say hate speech =/= free speech," to which Cuomo replied, "it doesn't. hate speech is excluded from protection. don't just say you love the constitution...read it."
it doesn't. hate speech is excluded from protection. dont just say you love the constitution...read it https://t.co/znZJ8cPvpX
— Chris Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) May 6, 2015As the Twitter masses descended, Cuomo defended himself, citing the 1942 Supreme Court ruling Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire, which described "fighting words" that "by their very utterance inflict injury or tend to incite an immediate breach of the peace" and the punishment of which is not considered a First Amendment violation.
“@BenK84: Can you cite for me where hate speech is banned in the constitution? Please. Cite the exact text.” Chaplinsky bans fighting words
— Chris Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) May 6, 2015.@c_cgottlieb hate speech as fighting words in chaplinsky. Must pass test of imminent threat
— Chris Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) May 6, 2015“@HowieRubenstein: @ChrisCuomo Please cite a source for your claim” fighting words. Chaplinsky case. Since 1942
— Chris Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) May 6, 2015Cuomo's response to one user included a specific reference to the shooting that occurred at a Muhammed cartoon drawing contest in Garland, Texas, in which he acknowledged the event was "easily [within the] law."
“@miltday1: @ChrisCuomo @HowieRubenstein and you think that case bars speech about Mohammed?” Nope. #Garland event easily w/in law
— Chris Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) May 6, 2015
