Since I’ve been at Regis University, I’ve witnessed four people who have walked out of assemblies or argued with the teacher in a classroom claiming they don’t want to think about “sad” topics. Keep in mind that these are not people who have been through the issues we are discussing, such as discrimination, race relations, gender inequality, abortion, or sexual assault; they are students who never had to think about these topics before and simply didn’t want to think about these topics because it made them “sad.”
You live in a world that you share with billions of other people, many of whom have gone through more tough times than you have. This does not mean your problems aren’t valid, but by refusing to listen to others, you are being extremely disrespectful and dismissive of other’s problems. In other words, you are invalidating other people’s stories and reasons as to why they feel unsafe in society just so you can feel comfortable and not "sad" in the classroom. Although I do admit everyone needs a break from thinking about these issues, there is a difference between taking a break from thinking about them and ignoring them completely. You are in college because you want to be educated. Part of that education is learning new points of view and how other people’s experiences differ from your own, especially when those experiences make others feel unsafe in their surroundings. Keep in mind that although you may feel uncomfortable talking about these issues in the classroom, the people who are affected by these issues may feel unsafe in their daily lives as they have experienced these issues and may continue to experience them.
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Trigger warnings and censorship are there for the people who have been through these experiences and haven’t fully dealt with them yet, which may hinder their ability to learn in the classroom. Trigger warnings and censorship are the people who truly need them. Not the people who want to stay sheltered in their own world. There is a difference between being triggered and feeling a little bit sad about something. Triggers often result in minor or major panic attacks. When you are triggered, you can’t breathe. You have flashbacks. Your heart races and your mind goes blank. You are unable to focus and it’s hard to stop shaking or control your body. Even though you try to focus on school(Keyword: try. As in you actually keep trying to focus), it’s difficult because you can’t function normally. This is the result of a trigger. Not someone who is “sad” about something. If you’re uncomfortable talking about certain subjects but can still function normally, you do not get a pass. You are in school to learn.
Yes, the classroom should be a safe space to learn, but it should also be a place to grow. Part of that growing process is to become aware of new points of view and more experiences, which can be difficult and uncomfortable to think about, but are necessary for the long run to understand the worlds that exist outside your own. When you realize that the world is greater and more complicated than you previously assumed, it’s natural to experience mild forms of depression, anxiety, or anger. However, keep in mind that although your view of the world has changed, your experiences have not. You are still the same person you always were, only now you’re more aware. Your life as a whole and how people treat you hasn’t changed. Nobody is suddenly going to discriminate against you or attack you just because you are now aware of these issues. However, other people continue to be discriminated against or attacked because too many people are uneducated on these issues. Feeling “sad” or “uncomfortable” talking about something is not an excuse to be ignorant. Not everybody needs to be an activist, but everybody seeking an education does need to be aware of these issues. If the people who have experienced these events can get through them and are strong enough to share their stories, then you can find the strength and have the respect to listen to them.
