Hate speech?

I have never, in my life, gone to someone's home to tell him that he's a dumb ass, an idiot etc., even if he deserved it, even if he was desperately asking for it. I just don't feel the need to do so. On the other hand, if someone comes to my home and calls me names, I will retaliate fourfold, whether he's a vacuum salesman, or just someone who got lost on the way to some hell hole.

The first time I started writing on the internet, I was young. It was a time when I wasn't well acquainted with the phenomenon of trolling. The misguided choice of a blogging platform that I made, like no other platform in the world, allowed hordes of trolls to stay on it, and continue to actively negate: my country (Macedonia), my language (Macedonian), my nation (Macedonian), and consequently, to negate me. And I'm not talking about negating in the form of a scientific discussion, but plane and simple trolling and insulting. My youth called for an equal or greater response, so after being provoked, I retaliated, accordingly. (Later in life, I learned my lesson - trolls are best dealt with by actively ignoring them - hence the moderation of comments on this blog.)

A few hours ago I read the article on Global Voices, about "Hate Speech" between Macedonian and Bulgarian bloggers. In it, as part of a larger group, my brother's blog, @DarvelMK, was also pointed out. The author claims that it's "...Another blog that often utilizes hate speech against Bulgarians". Unfortunately, from all things he had an emotional response to, and said out loud through the keyboard, the author picked the post about the theft of a photograph from my family archive.

In the case of the theft, the Bulgarian Wikipedia published an article about Cvetko Hristov, one of my great grandfathers from Prisovjani, Struga; with the photo I personally digitalized. The issue was resolved after I threatened the administrators of said Wikipedia, that if they don't remove the file, I will file a complaint to admins higher in the hierarchy. And moments after that battle was won, Bulgarian bloggers came to my blog and started writing comments which stated that: I was a traitor, a descendant of great men who lost his way, a "confused Bulgarian" and what not.

I've never advocated verbal conflict for no apparent reason, nor insulting people that have done nothing to me, hate without cause, etc. But, on the other hand, I can't swallow the neo-liberal bullshit based on the "turn the other cheek" philosophy. Withdrawal calms things down at the moment, but after a number of retreats behind the line that is drawn in front of you, you'll be left you with no ground to stand on! Maybe if someone brings evidence to the table that a blogging platform in any country in the world quietly seats by while users from other countries negate their existence, I'll consider it. Until then, I hold the stance that this is just one more epic over blowing.

On one hand, we advocate free speech, on the other, when a whole bunch of insults are thrown your way, and you respond accordingly, it somehow becomes hate speech. Hate speech is directly linked to context. If I go out on the streets and pick someone at random and say - you're a moron; that's hate speech. But, if that same man comes into my home and clearly states - you're a mongoloid, communist fabrication; be sure that calling him a Tartar is the least I can do, a natural, defensive reflex. If someone comes to you and asks for your hand, you instinctively give him the middle finger.