Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of the book. The book is about assaultive speech, about words that are used as weapons to ambush, terrorize, wound, humiliate, and degrade. Incidents of hate speech and racial harassment are reported with increasing frequency and regularity, particularly on American college campuses, where they have reached near epidemic proportions. The book is a collection of essays written by four of the leading advocates of public regulation of racially abusive hate speech. It focuses on the words of law and politics to fight the words that wound and exclude. Critical race theory recognizes that racism is endemic to American life. Critical race theory expresses skepticism toward dominant legal claims of neutrality, objectivity, color blindness, and meritocracy. Central to the methodology of critical race theory and liberationist pedagogy is an ongoing engagement in political practice.