Out of all concepts relating to the idea of political correctness, safe spaces seem to get the most heat from people.
I was a bit unfamiliar with what safe spaces were, so I took to the most politically correct website I could find —
Tumblr — and sought answers for myself. Here's the gist of it.Safe spaces are places where people can relax and express themselves as much as they want, without being judged, uncomfortable, or challenged.
I'm liberal on this kind of stuff, and I generally support political correctness, but even that description sounded a bit ridiculous to me. But then I realized that the concept of it isn't all that uncommon, they exist everywhere. For more left leaning people, safe spaces include gay bars/clubs as well as diversity groups on campus.
But conservatives have their own safe spaces as well, even though they might not want to admit it. They exist.
If we're going to use the definition of safe spaces as described on Tumblr, then you could say that the NRA utilizes safe spaces. They hold very large meetings where all of their supporters gather, mingle, buy merchandise, and listen to very pro gun speeches. You'll hardly find anyone who's anti gun at an NRA convention, and if you do, they're probably protesters who are removed soon after.
At a much broader scale than just guns, safe spaces like CPAC also exist, where conservatives talk about issues from their point of view, without fear that they'll be judged for their views.
The Republican National Convention is also similar to CPAC. Conservatives from all 50 states gather to choose and celebrate their party's nominee. And many prominent guest speakers are invited to address the large crowds. This is definitely a safe space where conservative republicans can feel very comfortable.
Republicans, and democrats alike, have safe spaces for their youth wings by setting up clubs at their schools for their political parties.
Those are all examples of physical safe spaces for conservatives, but virtual ones exist too. Fox News is regarded as a safe haven for conservatives to go to for news, because the information shared on that network validates their right leaning views.
I'm not trying to say safe spaces are good or bad, or that they should change the way we look at republicans or conservatives. What I'm trying to say is safe spaces are more common than we think, and criticism of them is often, but not always, hypocritical.
