Is hate speech in the media affecting our culture?

This weeks issue deals with hate speech in the media and how it affects our culture.  Being that our Nation has a great deal of hate related problems, I dont think that our society so much has a problem with hate speech as long as the media can control the image of the person dishing out the hate. For example: when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and Kanye West stated that the reason the people of New Orleans hadnt been rescued yet was because George Bush hated black people, Kanye was "bashed" by the media for doing so.  However when David Duke, the grand wizard of the KKK, ran for president he was known for giving hate related speeches but yet the media made him seem like a good man and a well qualifed canidate. Also, since today society is very "media-frenzy" what people see in the media is what is usually the general perception is believed about whats being depicted.  So when people are hated on and depicted in a negative way it is unfortuante but they become a victim to popular media belief.