Within the last several years, society has become soft. One cannot simply say what they want without worrying if it's not politically correct or offensive. We've all been victims of a Facebook war because we're supposedly being racist or sexist or ugly or narrow-minded when all we want to do is post a status. This ridiculousness has touched all age groups. Middle and high school students are quick to be called "bullies" if they hurt another peer's feelings. In college, professors and classmates must walk a fine line in discussions making sure not to use a term or express an idea that might offend or trigger someone else. Often times once that one rebellious student opens the floor to a controversial topic, the professor shuts it down and moves on.
But why has society called for and allowed these "safe spaces" and "trigger-free" environments? And don't think it isn't biased. Women can walk around in crop tops and go bra-less, but a turban or burka makes others uncomfortable. Nobody has an issue using the term "white privilege" but God forbid the word terrorism comes up in class. Bernie Sanders was all the rage with his free college campaign, but we can't talk about Donald Trump without using terms like racist or dictator.
It's time these barriers are broken down, and the University of Chicago seems to agree. Their incoming freshmen class received a letter stating:
"Our commitment to academic freedom means that we do not support so-called ‘trigger warnings,’ we do not cancel invited speakers because their topics might prove controversial, and we do not condone the creation of intellectual ‘safe spaces’ where individuals can retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own." https://www.yahoo.com/style/university-chicago-jus...
Mankind is not entitled to comfortable conversation. It is not realistic to expect to go through life without being exposed to uncomfortable topics like racism, sexism, gender equality, political affiliation, etc. If you choose to not share your beliefs, that's fine, but freedom of speech and expression should not be revoked anywhere, especially on college campuses.
Note that there is a difference between uncomfortable and disrespectful. The letter prefaces this by reading:
"Members of our community are encouraged to speak, write, listen, challenge, and learn, without fear of censorship. Civility and mutual respect are vital to all of us, and freedom of expression does not mean the freedom to harass or threaten others. You will find that we expect members of our community to be engaged in rigorous debate, discussion, and even disagreement. At times this may challenge you and even cause discomfort." https://www.yahoo.com/style/university-chicago-jus...
Is it crazy to expect students to be respectful? If we are required to basically live on our own, working and budgeting and attending classes, the least we can do is be courteous. And if someone can't be respectful there should be consequences for that individual instead of entire student bodies being stripped of their right to speak freely. Hopefully, more schools take on this policy and the point can get across to all aspects of society.
