I think you might find this piece by John Murawski at RealClearInvestigations on the move by the National Association of Realtors to ban “hate speech” among its members interesting. If you’re not familiar with it here’s a summary:
The NAR prohibition states: “Realtors must not use harassing speech, hate speech, epithets, or slurs based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.†NAR plans to assess context as much as content when evaluating speech that is subject of a complaint. NAR’s intention is to target what Difanis calls “weaponized hate speech, the sort of stuff that gets turned on like a blowtorch and aimed against other people.â€
Read the whole thing. If you’re not old enough to remember 50 years ago “restrictive covenants” limiting the places where blacks, Jews, Catholics, and others could purchase homes were common in some places (including Chicago) and realtors were the “point men” for them.
I’m not sure that the ban will actually accomplish much. I have confidence in the ability of realtors to work around the ban. Is “good schools” hate speech? I consider “toxic masculinity” hate speech but it’s pretty clear that people leading the charge against hate speech don’t see it that way.
My main reaction to this type of historical remediation is how cheap it is for some people to fix problems from 50 years ago instead of dealing with today’s problems. And maybe its not that cheap. NAR membership is voluntary, supported historically by anti-competitive practices and models being eroded by the internet. The article also contains some implications of litigation if NAR or its affiliates misstep. So my skepticism leans towards this being entirely superficial standard, which if enforced in a way that concerns its membership will just erode its membership.
Normally I hate these kind of laws, but I’ve seen car salesmen use the same technique to bond with White customers, (reliable vehicle, not like the ones I’d sell to some nigger). Translation: You can trust me, we’re both White. Next translation: No one can trust you, you’re a liar.
Probably unenforceable, but other rules are too, like picking up after your pet. Moves the window of acceptability some though.