Hate Speech Display: When Biased Remarks, Content Hurt

Words either spoken or written as well as images that humiliate or incite hatred against a group of persons or an individual based on attributes such as race, religion, gender or ethnicity can be described as hate speech. These expressions are usually derogatory, discriminatory or threatening, with far-reaching consequences. These statements are unfortunately made in the public space or shared therein. Common forms in the public space include spoken slurs, discriminatory remarks, or inflammatory speeches targeted at individuals in locations like leisure parks, transport systems or during television debates. Nowadays, it is disturbingly recurrent to see the display of hate symbols or offensive graffiti that out-rightly damages the reputation of a people or community. Certain crimes are being tagged to particular tribes and unruly behaviour in some situations pegged to specific communities. Citizens are mocked for their origin, traditional patterns, word pronunciation, dressing or eating habits. During television debates or panel shows, the audience is sometimes rather met with panellists or invited guests who use coded language or phrases that sound benign to the general public but signal prejudiced intent or rally specific extremist groups. This makes participation in such programmes by other Cameroonians difficult. On the digital and online space, one observes mass dissemination of biased content, campaigns, or organised online harassment to silence or intimidate some people. The social media most particularly is flooded with these words and accompanying write-ups, which in effect add nothing to national growth as it rather renders social cohesion more fragile in localities. Hateful caricatures, doctored images, or video clips to ridicule individuals or a community are shared with...