Archive · 21 Aug 2026
Debating Irreverence, Protest Language, and the Decline of Public Culture
The essay asks whether angry and rude political speech should be treated as hate speech.
It begins with Robert De Niro criticizing Donald Trump in strong language in 2018.
It then discusses young protesters in Delhi who used insults and jokes against political leaders and authorities.
The protesters were responding partly to a remark comparing young people to cockroaches.
They also spoke about inequality, expensive living, unemployment, and unfair development.
The writer believes protests can express real problems but worries that vulgar language can harm public culture.
The essay compares this language with older Hindi-film songs that taught kindness, love, and responsibility.
It also says that some modern online entertainment may be encouraging people to copy abusive speech.
Robert De Niro’s 11 June 2018 profanity-laced criticism of Donald Trump is presented as a test of free expression, political decency, and possible hate speech.
The essay compares De Niro’s remarks with abusive slogans used during student and youth protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
The protests followed Justice Surya Kant’s reported description of young people as “cockroaches,” inspiring the Cockroach Janata Party label.
Protesters linked their anger to inequality, inflation, unemployment, skewed development, and monopoly capitalism, while using slogans, poetry, humor, and expletives.
The writer argues that abusive language in contemporary OTT entertainment contrasts with the uplifting moral and social influence once associated with Hindi-film lyricists such as Shailendra and Javed Akhtar.
- Who
- Robert De Niro, Donald Trump, young protesters in Delhi, Justice Surya Kant, and the writers and lyricists discussed in the essay.
- What
- An essay examines political insults, protest language, hate speech, free expression, and changing standards of public culture.
- When
- The examples include 11 June 2018, September 2023, and protests described as occurring in June-July and July 2026.
- Where
- Robert De Niro spoke at Radio City Music Hall in New York; the protests discussed took place at Jantar Mantar in Delhi; Javed Akhtar spoke at a conference in Roorkee.
- Why
- The writer uses these examples to question whether public abuse encourages violence and social division, and to argue for a return to more constructive cultural values.
Free Expression and Protest
Civic Decorum and Social Harm
Political criticism
Free Expression and Protest
Public figures and protesters should be able to express anger, ridicule, and opposition toward powerful leaders and institutions.
Civic Decorum and Social Harm
Using profanity against a president or public authorities can debase constitutional offices and normalize abusive public discourse.
Hate speech and violence
Free Expression and Protest
The remarks and slogans are presented as political expression, satire, and protest rather than as direct evidence of incitement to violence.
Civic Decorum and Social Harm
The essay invokes the United Nations’ warning that hate speech can erode social cohesion and create conditions for violence.
Contemporary media influence
Free Expression and Protest
Films, songs, online platforms, humor, and street language can give young people accessible ways to express frustration and challenge authority.
Civic Decorum and Social Harm
The writer argues that abusive OTT content may be copied by teenagers and young adults, replacing meaningful dialogue and older traditions of moral education.
- De Niro remark
- On 11 June 2018, Robert De Niro said “F**k Trump” from the stage of New York’s Radio City Music Hall.
- United Nations position
- Antonio Guterres said hate speech can undermine tolerance, inclusion, social cohesion, and human rights, and can lay foundations for violence.
- Protest location
- The essay discusses demonstrations at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
- Reported trigger
- The protests followed Justice Surya Kant’s reported description of young people as “cockroaches.”
- Protest concerns
- Protesters raised issues including inequality, inflation, unemployment, skewed development, and monopoly capitalism.
- Cultural comparison
- Javed Akhtar praised Shailendra’s Hindi-film lyrics for conveying philosophical and moral lessons to ordinary people.
- Media criticism
- The writer argues that some contemporary OTT films and series rely heavily on abusive language and may influence young viewers.