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> Would an acceptable compromise be to allow insults but to punish people responsible for suicides?

I worry that could increase the rate of suicides. Consider the following train of thought: "If I kill myself, the government might go after those who have been bullying me". Especially if the laws have teeth, the government would be giving those with suicidal tendencies an additional reason to follow through.

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You're right, that's a risk, but one could equally hypothesise that by punishing a bully the first time they cause a suicide, you prevent them from causing more (or deter them from causing one in the first place), leading to a net saving of lives.

Some might say that if someone is prepared to kill themselves to get revenge against their bullies, then such a spiteful person doesn't deserve to veto laws that could protect less spiteful people, but I think that would be a little too unsympathetic.

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