“Hate Speech” Informative Outline Example

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Topic: Hate Speech

Presenter: Namey McNamara

1. Introduction
   1. I will present and explain an image of a person holding a controversial sign at a funeral. (Slide 1)
   2. I will provide background regarding the case of this person picketing the funeral of a gay man with anti-LGBT messages.
   3. Rhetorical question: Is this hate speech?
2. Body
   1. Transition/establish context.
      1. I will summarize and provide statistics on the public’s view of hate speech. (Slide 2)
      2. I will reference a popular comedian’s take on what he views is hate speech.
      3. I will reference a comedian being accused of hate speech as an illustration.
   2. I will give the legal definition of hate speech. (Slide 3)
   3. I will summarize and explain the most important legal precedent defining hate speech.
      1. I will quote the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and explain the relationship between the “free speech” and “hate speech” ideas. (Slide 4)
      2. I will explain “unprotected speech” under Chaplinsky vs New Hampshire (1942). (Slide 5)
         1. I will define “fighting words” and display an example. (Slide 6)
      3. I will explain the “imminent danger” test as it is laid out in Brandenberg vs Ohio (1969).
         1. I will quote the speech in question in that case and provide an image. (Slide 7)
      4. I will summarize Snyder vs. Phelps (2011), which involves the response to the case presented in the introduction. I will quote the court’s judgment. (Slide 8)
3. Conclusion
   1. Transition: “Bigoted speech acts are not necessarily uncommon.”
   2. I will reference current cases of bigoted expression in news reports and provide images. (Slide 9)
   3. I will reference recent hate-driven cases of domestic terrorism and ask the question, “Was this the result of hate speech?”
   4. I will conclude with the question, “Who should decide whether speech is or is not free?”