Safe spaces on university campus

[Jamez]

Recently over the past 2 years there has been quite a radical change on campuses across america and are now starting to spread to campuses here in the UK. What I am talking about is the concepts of "safe spaces" and "trigger/content warnings". A lot of this is consisting of banning controversial speakers on campuses and the removal of certain topics which some sensitive students may find harmful to their well-being.

An excellent explanation of this (although possibly slightly biased) can be found on this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K92rOsjyLBs&sns=fb) or this article (http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/09/the-coddling-of-the-american-mind/399356/).

This movement of victimisation is causing professors to become cautious on what they say in their lectures for fear of public backlash and weeks of teaching being lost due to investigations on pointless accusations. I am curious on what people's opinions of this are in america and how people feel about this movement to remove a lot of free speech on university campuses across america.

[CJ1515g]

This is one american's opinion. "*sighs and shakes head*".................................................. ..............

[Cube210]

Yeah....no

[Jamez]

Personally I find it very concerning that these people are attempting to remove core teaching aspects because it is upsetting to some people. Removing this education is no way to move forward.

[CJ1515g]

Yea I agree with this. Just tired of all the problems people have to make about anything in this world now a days. People are to defensive. Like back in high school when I was walking down the hall talking to my friend. I noticed out of the corner of my eye someone passing by me. So out of basic human curiosity I turned my head and took a quick glance at her just to see who it was. She then proceeded to curse me out

[Jamez]

This mentality students are having that they can be harmed by opinions is not progressive at all. The fact that this is happening in some of the top universities in the world such as Yale is very worrying that the most intelligent individuals are developing this victim complex and instead of challenging these views they are simply hiding from them.

[thomas aagaard]

think physical safety is a much bigger problem... that sports students loose their scholarship if they get hurt and do not get any money to help them deal with the later expenses for healthcare... when the college sports is a billion business...


And the issue of sexual assault...
http://www.salon.com/2015/03/04/no_means_yes_yes_means_anal_this_new_film_will_cha nge_how_you_think_about_rape_culture/

A very clear problem at Yale...


or the absurd price for a college degree and that the US government is earning money on students loans.
Admittedly this view is based on my danish rather social democratic norms. (I don't vote for the social democrats, but most danish parties are best described that way when compared to the two US parties)

[Jamez]

And the issue of sexual assault...
http://www.salon.com/2015/03/04/no_means_yes_yes_means_anal_this_new_film_will_cha nge_how_you_think_about_rape_culture/


The topic of sexual assault is one which professors are very worried about discussing. These people are taught that they should never have to see anything referring to rape/assault and if they do then someone must be held accountable. A lot of studies show avoiding these situations to help deal with the PTSD they would be suffering from does more harm than it does good

[elder_gutknecht]

My brain hurts, nurse, nurse, give these boys some spanish medicine to enjoy the life
XXI century and really you are talking about that, and these are the guys who will gobern the world
Public and cheap education for all the people, public and free health service for all the people, free condoms for all the world, less talk and more live the life, the world it's full of boring, repressed, a lot of expensive bank loans, neckties, suits ...

[Mi'kmaq]

Oh boy, political correctness. All of these idiots need a good beating, that outta fix this issue.

[Jamez]

They are taking the use of political correctness to a ridiculous levels and people need to stop letting them get their way.

[Bravescot]

We live in the most emotionally weak generation in the history of the human race and it disgusts me.

[crazychester1247]

The political correctness of the world is annoying the hell out of me. I can't believe some people think they can just go "blah blah blah I can't hear you." every time someone speaks their mind and they don't agree with them. Learning to coexist with people who have different opinions then yours is part of being able to function in modern society. Their are plenty of people who I think have stupid horrible opinions but that dosen't mean they can't talk about them in front of me. Also STOP SHELTERING YOUR KIDS FROM THE REAL WORLD PEOPLE THIS IS HOW THIS WHOLE THING STARTED!:mad:

Thankfully some of the colleges and schools that did this (in the U.S) are taking a lot of fire, and some have even changed their minds. So that's a step in the right direction.

[CybrSlydr]

(I'm currently a full-time college student working towards my Bachelors in Earth Sciences)

During my Intro to Poetry class, we read poems about wars and battles - and "Ball Turret Gunner" - which closely resembles being inside an MRAP - and it dredged up a lot of feelings and memories of when I was blown up. I didn't write a damn letter to the school saying, "PROTECT MY FEELINGS", I sacked up and used it as an opportunity to explore my feelings, not bitch and whine about them. I even e-mailed the professor thanking him for going over it in class and offered some thoughts in analysis on the poem from my own personal experiences.

Here's the poem:


From my mother’s sleep I fell into the State,
And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze.
Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life,
I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters.
When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose.

Here's the letter I wrote to my professor.


Mr. Kessler,

This poem really hit home for me. I served in Afghanistan in the Army as an Artilleryman as part of a Maneuver Battery doing Infantry patrols. The way the author spoke about the plane was eerily similar to my experiences in an MaxPRO while on patrol.

The MaxPRO is one of those big, 4x4 vehicles with the turret on the top - not the Humvees, but the really big ones. I was a turret gunner and later a dismount in the lead truck of our platoon. As a turret gunner, it's all about eyes-forward, waiting for that first crack of a bullet or whoomp of an RPG, that object on the road that might explode. As exposed as you are, you still have some semblance of control, of defense, an ability to fight back. When you sit in the back of one, your back facing outwards, you're just along for the ride - you can't shoot back, you can't really duck or hide until they drop the door and then you're outside maneuvering. You're just sitting in this armored cocoon, waiting.

Often times we would nap en-route as we all decided that being where we were, there wasn't anything proactive we could do about it and if it was our time, we just hoped it would come quickly. We focused on the parts that we could control - getting out, covering fire, maneuvering quickly and proficiently, etc. Never knowing if at that moment some insurgent with an RPG or machine gun is going to take a shot, if an IED is primed and ready to blow, leaving nothing left of yourself but that which can be later hosed out. Fortunately for me, the IED that ended my service only shattered my ankle and lower leg. I crawled out vice being hosed out.

I heard a lot of similarities between your father and I as well. I've found that I have no interest in reading the books or watching the movies coming out, "American Sniper", "Zero Dark Thirty", "Lone Survivor", "Restrepo", et all. I think it's the same thing with me as your father - I've been there, done that and am living it every day - I don't want to watch a movie or read a book about it.

Before, "Saving Private Ryan" was one of my all-time favorite movies. It was nothing I'd ever seen before and I still love it. But to this day, since I came home, I haven't watched it.

Sincerely,

Jordan

[Cube210]

It has become a problem in the army as well.
You can't do or say things that MIGHT hurt an individuals feelings.

My 1sgt is cool though so honestly if you don't like something it is on you.


All this crap makes me wonder though. Are there actually offended people or are there people being offended on others behalf and taking it upon themselves to "pick up the torch" for justice?
AKA Are people actually offended or just looking for a cause?

[A. P. Hill]

Thank you for your service guys!

Greatly appreciated.

[Ginger_]

I honestly just think it's people getting pissed off for the sake of getting pissed off.

For some reason we're part of a generation that gets offended on other people's behalf. That's bonkers to me. I was always taught to just not give a toss. I mean, it's not my business is it?

[michaelsmithern]

Safe spaces do nothing but harbor those who feel their feelings matter more than free speech, i say get rid of the safe spaces and throw the kids back out into the real world instead of this deluded fantasy they so wish to procure

[Jamez]

Safe spaces do nothing but harbor those who feel their feelings matter more than free speech, i say get rid of the safe spaces and throw the kids back out into the real world instead of this deluded fantasy they so wish to procure

Safe environments are important to have a healthy discussion, the problem we are having is people are using this to remove any discussions which disagree and undermine points they are trying to push forward.

[Cube210]

safe environments are important to have a healthy discussion, the problem we are having is people are using this to remove any discussions which disagree and undermine points they are trying to push forward.

this.

[Hatchmo]

Just because something offends you doesn't mean you are right. If this is what the future in the USA holds we are screwed. They need to put on their big girl panties and move on.

[Johnnyboy]

Get over it seriously. This world is being filled with weak people, who are easily "hurt" by a word/quote/picture whatever it is; bunch of soft c*cks if you ask me.

[crazychester1247]

Most of the time I would blame politicians for this sort of thing but this is a problem that was created by society. So society is going to have to fix this one. Unfortunately you can't write a law that forces people to not be butt hurt for stupid reasons. Even though I'd probably support that law.

[Jamez]

Here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiA0P9iELAA) is a great interview with Milo Yinnaopoulos about a lot of these problems. Twitter has actually removed his verification tag due to mass complaints from people who want to silence him for disagreeing with them. It is a long video but there is this one (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DJfC4WQ01g) which is a cut of it including the main parts which relate.

[Colonel Potter]

Safe Space.....lol really? The safest space for them is on the frontlines. Make meat shields of those sissy's. They can fill out a Hurt Feelings report on a roll of toilet paper.

[Landree]

And the issue of sexual assault...
http://www.salon.com/2015/03/04/no_means_yes_yes_means_anal_this_new_film_will_cha nge_how_you_think_about_rape_culture/

A very clear problem at Yale...

Do you have any other sources of the sexual assaults happening on US campuses other than Salon? They're an abhorrent website.

[thomas aagaard]

Sorry about that. I think I just linked to the first one on google... when I wrote that post...


anyway:
http://www.thehuntinggroundfilm.com/
Problem is natually that it takes to sid of the victims...


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elizabeth-nicholas/why-critiques-of-the-camp_b_8607618.html

http://www.care2.com/causes/yale-fraternity-pledges-chant-about-rape.html
random page commenting on the Yale chant "no means yes, yes means anal"

Wiki:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campus_sexual_assault

And yes it naturally got all the usual problems since its wiki... but do link to a number of reports about the topic.

[crazychester1247]

http://www.care2.com/causes/yale-fraternity-pledges-chant-about-rape.html
random page commenting on the Yale chant "no means yes, yes means anal"


I hope the members of a certain Yale fraternity all end up f**king a landmine this year.

Now wouldn't that be a BANG!:p

Seriously though, they can all go f**k a landmine for doing that.:mad:

[Lackay]

well can i have a "dangerous space" to compensate

[Celt]

Warning: Incoming Devil's advocate.


We live in the most emotionally weak generation in the history of the human race and it disgusts me.

We live in the most emotionally healthy generation of the history of human race, as every previous generation was more and more resistant to talking about their actual emotions than the last. I'm the son of a mental health worker, and it has taken generation and generations of cracking taboos to actually get people to open up and talk about things. It has taken so long to crack things like what used to be called "Shell shock" and actually help people with those problems. But even outside military people, it was hard work getting the general civilian population to talk about their emotions.

We're not weak for doing that, we're strong. We do not need another dozen or so generations of people who are afraid to step out of line with what the rest of their culture says to do, or are afraid to say what they genuinely think instead of goose stepping with the rest of the crowd.

I don't support the concept of "safe spaces" but please don't try to spin it that this generations are some how weaker than previous ones. And in fact in the specific case of Americans, I would this current generation has much more war than anyone from the 90s or 80s.


Safe Space.....lol really? The safest space for them is on the frontlines. Make meat shields of those sissy's. They can fill out a Hurt Feelings report on a roll of toilet paper.


Great Idea. We could reinstate the draft and harden up those sissies. Plus it would make the government think twice before throwing the armed forces into petty political wars that cost hundreds of American lives (like Iraq) nd have no benifit for us or anybody.

Yeah, that's how we improve society, make everyone a solider who does what ever authority figures tell them. Hell, why stop there? Maybe we should intentionally cause some famine and plague in the West to really toughen people. You're not a "real" man until your wife and kids are dead, and you're half the weight you used to be because you've only eaten a proper meal 3 times in the last 90 days.

Firstly, as I said above, this generation has already seen plenty of war. Quite a number of Americans went to war in the middle east already, as did many from the UK. And a quite an amount of other batch more or less work as mercenaries, that is to say they work in PMCs, Private Military Contractors or Security firms.

And guess what? Despite all these people serving in military units you have the situation you have today.

So putting that to the side, I hate to break it to you, but let me say you're ain't the first generation of guys to look around and decide the world is getting liberal for their taste. In the 1970s, there were guys shocked people opposed the Vietnam war, In the 1950s, there were guys who thought the world was going to far killing Jim Crow, there were guys in the early 1900s who couldn't get over the idea a woman wanted the vote.

On the east coast in the 70s and 80s, you get away with making all the ethnic and homosexual slurs you wanted. And if someone called you out on it, there were "weak willed" and needed to live "in the real world". There were guys who thought they were great for calling Italians "wops" and "Stilettos", and God forbid any guy who couldn't get a woman, he's an immediate suspect for being a "queer" and might need to be "roughed up" to be taught a lesson.

Again, I'm not someone who thinks you need to be censored or that you're the spawn of Satan if you pro-2nd Amendment, or that you're a monster if don't understand transgender issues, but at the same time it always, always sticks in my throat when people start badmouthing their own generation because there's discussion that hurts their ears.

And that "you need to do some time as solider, that'll sort you out" talk in particular is something I don't like, because it's not a new idea, it's an old idea, old as man, and it's the exact same mentality as "If you're gay you need to be beat up until you're not". No, sorry, I don't to be a solider to have the "correct" values in life.

Now, you guys just talked about people need to harden up and not get pissed off about people having differing opinions, so let's see how ye react to someone walking in here and having a fairly differing opinion to most of what's already been said in the thread.

[Jamez]

We live in the most emotionally healthy generation of the history of human race, as every previous generation was more and more resistant to talking about their actual emotions than the last. I'm the son of a mental health worker, and it has taken generation and generations of cracking taboos to actually get people to open up and talk about things. It has taken so long to crack things like what used to be called "Shell shock" and actually help people with those problems. But even outside military people, it was hard work getting the general civilian population to talk about their emotions.

.....

And that "you need to do some time as solider, that'll sort you out" talk in particular is something I don't like, because it's not a new idea, it's an old idea, old as man, and it's the exact same mentality as "If you're gay you need to be beat up until you're not". No, sorry, I don't to be a solider to have the "correct" values in life.

Now, you guys just talked about people need to harden up and not get pissed off about people having differing opinions, so let's see how ye react to someone walking in here and having a fairly differing opinion to most of what's already been said in the thread.

I do agree that we live in the most emotionally healthy generation to date and not just emotionally but this generation is better off on average than the previous ones and that will always be the case for any future generations. The problem we are having is that we have a minority on university campuses who are using this state of openly expressing your emotions and using this to get a easy ticket through life by removing topics which they do not want to hear discussed such as sexual assualt/rape.

As the son of a mental health worker you surely must agree that hiding these people from anything which may hurt them is in no way healthy or progressive for them.

I wouldn't agree either to just throwing people in the military to "sort them out" and that it is a bit excessive for the problem. But something needs to be done about this victim mentality that some people are being dragged into.

[Challis89]

They were talking about this on radio Scotland today when I was at work. Was a good listen and they are right instead of protecting people what's happening on a lot of unis in Scotland it's suppressing debate as people are scared of controversy. Don't get me wrong standing out hate speech, bigotry and homophobia is very important but in today's world it's going too far when you start stamping out total debate incase a few peoples offended by a different opinion.

[crazychester1247]

Sorry about the draft thing, I wasn't thinking clearly although it would greatly reduce the amount of wars we get in.

This is seriously a problem that needs to be fixed though, it's impossible to be a part of modern society without having to deal with other peoples opinions. The only way it wouldn't be impossible is if no one could speak their opinion, which is impossible to enforce by the way. Although I do believe their is a point were certain opinions begin to hurt society, like racism, sexism, ect ect. We need to just learn to suck it up and deal with the fact that other people are going to disagree with us, all the time, and if you want to make it where people can't express their opinions... congragulations! you're the new Hitler!

[Bravescot]

hhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXQkXXBqj_U

^ This

[CybrSlydr]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o25I2fzFGoY

[crazychester1247]

Here's a great piece by the NY Times on the subject. (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/22/opinion/sunday/judith-shulevitz-hiding-from-scary-ideas.html?_r=0)

[Richter]

The world will not always agree with you, and we shouldn't silence other people's opinion because they contradict yours. That's just my opinion though.

Sincerely
-Richter

[Richter]

Safe Space.....lol really? The safest space for them is on the frontlines. Make meat shields of those sissy's. They can fill out a Hurt Feelings report on a roll of toilet paper.

Would the name Colonel Potter be a reference to the M*A*S*H character?

-Richter

[crazychester1247]

I found this in that NY Times article I posted.
I have to say America. I find your lack of a spine... disturbing.


The safe space, Ms. Byron explained, was intended to give people who might find comments “troubling” or “triggering,” a place to recuperate. The room was equipped with cookies, coloring books, bubbles, Play-Doh, calming music, pillows, blankets and a video of frolicking puppies, as well as students and staff members trained to deal with trauma. Emma Hall, a junior, rape survivor and “sexual assault peer educator” who helped set up the room and worked in it during the debate, estimates that a couple of dozen people used it. At one point she went to the lecture hall — it was packed — but after a while, she had to return to the safe space. “I was feeling bombarded by a lot of viewpoints that really go against my dearly and closely held beliefs,” Ms. Hall said.

Also according to the most-basic tenets of psychology, the very idea of helping people with anxiety disorders avoid the things they fear is misguided. A person who is trapped in an elevator during a power outage may panic and think she is going to die. That frightening experience can change neural connections in her amygdala, leading to an elevator phobia. If you want this woman to retain her fear for life, you should help her avoid elevators. If you really want to help her, put her trough exposure therapy.

http://www.reactiongifs.us/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/science_bill_nye.gif

[Colonel Potter]

Would the name Colonel Potter be a reference to the M*A*S*H character?

-Richter

Yes , but my name is really Potter and I am a Colonel in game. Other than supporting the game, the reference to the M*A*S*H character is why I had to upgrade from a "Major" to "Colonel Potter". Mash was a great show....with out any "Safe Spots". LOL:cool:

[A. P. Hill]

Yes , but my name is really Potter and I am a Colonel in game. Other than supporting the game, the reference to the M*A*S*H character is why I had to upgraded from a "Major" to "Colonel Potter". Mash was a great show....with out any "Safe Spots".

Oh!
Well, hell. And here I was thinking little Harry had grown up! ;) lol

[Richter]

lol, it's funny how that worked out.

Best Regards
-Richter

[Jamez]

So I wrote an article (http://www.theyorker.co.uk/comment-and-politics/safe-spaces-destroying-campus-culture/) on this topic if anyone is interested in reading it.

[Colonel P. R. Page]

Political Correctness....will be the death of America...


Get your panties out of a knot and grow up!!

[A. P. Hill]

So I wrote an article (http://www.theyorker.co.uk/comment-and-politics/safe-spaces-destroying-campus-culture/) on this topic if anyone is interested in reading it.

Good read Jamez. I'm curious as to the feedback from the uni ....

[Jamez]

Good read Jamez. I'm curious as to the feedback from the uni ....

Thank you, I would be interested in what my student union would have to say about it as well.

[TheEgoAndHisScone]

We've had trigger warnings for years. Songs with curse words have had content advisory warnings for a while now, and the music industry is still alive.

[Sorta]

*Anti Semitic remarks are not welcome*

[PGT Beauregard]

think physical safety is a much bigger problem... that sports students loose their scholarship if they get hurt and do not get any money to help them deal with the later expenses for healthcare... when the college sports is a billion business...


And the issue of sexual assault...
http://www.salon.com/2015/03/04/no_means_yes_yes_means_anal_this_new_film_will_cha nge_how_you_think_about_rape_culture/

A very clear problem at Yale...


or the absurd price for a college degree and that the US government is earning money on students loans.
Admittedly this view is based on my danish rather social democratic norms. (I don't vote for the social democrats, but most danish parties are best described that way when compared to the two US parties)

College sports recruiters are modern day slave traders. They promise the world to young kids, spoil them rotten, and when they get an injury that renders them less useful they are discarded like yesterdays trash.

The problem with folks that need these so called 'safe spaces' is that they have not been hit hard enough by life to fully appreciated the 'realness' of it.

[Leifr]

Please avoid double-posting in the future PGT Beauregard. I have merged your posts for convenience.
Warmest regards,
Leifr.