Libertarian take: Treating Speech Like Violence

Malicious speech didn’t used to legally be considered violence, but that may change now, warns Robby Soave at The New York Times. At issue is the conviction of Michelle Carter — the Massachusetts woman who, when 17 years old, encouraged her 18-year-old boyfriend to follow through on his suicidal thoughts — for involuntary manslaughter. Some states criminalize suicide encouragement, but Massachusetts doesn’t. Soave says a single case like this may not be enough to establish precedent, but it will likely encourage both law enforcement and school officials who have been increasingly seeking to punish teenage bad behavior in the courts: “Let’s empower teachers to confront harassment and refer troubled teenagers to mental health professionals,” he urges —but don’t “broadly criminalize teen cruelty.”