Ambassador Hans Klemm’s Statement

With regard to the proposed legislation entitled “Proiectul de Lege privind promovarea demnitatii umane si tolerantei fata de diferentele de grup,” United States Government policy is clear. The protection of free speech, even if offensive, is a foundational aspect of a healthy democratic society. While we condemn discrimination and hate, we also oppose laws that prohibit offensive speech at the expense of freedom of expression. As President Obama has said, “The strongest weapon against hateful speech is not repression; it is more speech—voices of tolerance that rally against bigotry…”