In 2015, Yale University became a prominent feature in the news cycle when a professor and her husband (both employed by the university) began to speak out about students' anger over what they deemed to be offensive Halloween costumes. The professor, Erika Christakis, wrote an email saying that students should have the right to be stupid or offensive on Halloween but that we should confront offense instead of run from it.

The controversy started when an email was sent out about appropriate Halloween costumes, meaning that items that were seen as important to a culture or identification should not be worn as a costume. While it is true that wearing things such as a Native American headdresses and blackface as costumes are disrespectful to the beautiful and racially-diverse ethnicities of America, the professor's email created far too much hostility on campus.

I would like to point out that I do agree that, in America, people should have the right to be offensive, but I do not agree that there is nothing wrong with being offensive toward other cultures.

Both before and after this controversy at Yale, discussions and implementations of "safe spaces" have emerged on campuses around the United States. In 2017, another case of arguments against offensive viewpoints emerged on the campus of UC Berkley. There were riots and protests against speeches and appearances of both Ann Coulter and Milo Yiannopoulos on their campus. Both appearances were eventually cancelled amidst calls for a "safe space."

A "safe space," according to a dictionary definition, is a place in which people can avoid discrimination against their race, religion, or sexual orientation. By this definition, a safe space seems entirely harmless.

Yet the increasing need of a "safe space" is no longer a benign statement against discrimination. Instead, they have become a shelter against opposing viewpoints and have begun to harm the political discourse between college students.

While liberal college students make the news, both sides of the political isle are guilty of this. It is why our nation is so divided. Some conservatives tend to dismiss liberals as pawns of the media, and thus discredit their opinions as pointless. Some liberals take to the street to cancel appearances by certain conservatives.

The way I see it, there is a balance between free speech and allowing people who may be marginalized to feel safe from actual discrimination or even harm. The balance between race and religious protection and free speech is a delicate one, but we cannot neglect free speech for the comfort of being surrounded solely by like-minded people.

Through history, we have begun to allow more and more people to have a voice. We have given more people their right to free speech over the centuries that American democracy has existed. People of all races, religions and sexual orientations are able to speak up on the national stage, and this is the only true way that a democracy can thrive.

It's why America is greater now than it ever has been before.

But this freedom of speech also means granting a voice to even those who speak discriminatorily about other people. While Milo Yiannopoulos has said some truly morally repugnant things, he cannot be silenced if we want to be champions of the first amendment.

While he voices opinions that many, including some conservatives, find morally wrong, he has no power, in and of himself, to impose real harm on others.

Creating "safe spaces" damages political discourse because by sheltering ourselves in like views we shut off half of the country's opinions or beliefs. We neglect to understand why people would disagree with us, and therefore we will never be able to change anything.

I do understand why people would be skeptical to give a podium to a man who asks questions like, "Would you rather your child had feminism or cancer?" I see the struggle against giving a platform to homophobic, xenophobic and misogynistic speech. It is important to point out when you disagree with someone who speaks as Milo Yiannopoulos does.

Voice your dissent against his vicious attacks against groups of people and show those around campus that it is not alright to act as Yiannopoulos does but do so without shutting out his voice entirely.

Forcing the cancellation of his public appearance might actually make the man seem like a martyr to the alt-right. I would recommend that, instead, you protest without violence to show love to a community instead of hatred. Perhaps call in someone with the opposite views to give a counter-speech. Preach love and acceptance at the same time as allowing each voice to speak.

If we truly want to change the world, we have to reach out for those with whom we profoundly disagree. We have to understand where each individual's beliefs stem from. We cannot risk dividing the country further by closing ourselves into our own beliefs, culture, religion and political alignments.

So yes, feel free to disagree with every last statement made by Milo Yiannopoulos, Ann Coulter and Mike Pence. You are allowed to protest their beliefs. But do not silence them. Because there may come a day when you too are being silenced.