Trigger warnings, safe spaces, and free speech have been a hot topic among college campuses recently. Some would argue that safe spaces and trigger warnings are present to help people to cope with subject matter that may be traumatic to them; however, the concept of safe spaces and trigger warnings has been abused and distorted. Look, I get it. I understand that rating systems are used for things like movies, TV shows, and video games. I understand that everyone deals with traumatic experiences differently. Safe spaces can be beneficial for people suffering from things like PTSD or addiction; that was the original intention of safe spaces. However, safe spaces have now become ideological bubbles, free of opposing opinions.
College campuses used to be places where your ideas were challenged. They were places for open discussion and exposure to new ideas. Students used to protest in favor of free speech; now, they protest to stifle it. When speakers such as Milo Yiannapoulos and Christina Hoff Sommers have come to college campuses, protesters have torn down fliers, interrupted events, and sometimes even become violent. Many of these speakers have Q&A segments during their events; why not ask them a question instead? Why not have a civilized debate or discussion instead of trying to shout down those with different opinions? Do you really need a safe space because someone you did not like wanted to speak?
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Freedom of speech is crucial to living in a free society, and that includes speech that is unpopular. As long as they are not inciting violence or unlawful behavior, they should be allowed to speak. How can one grow as a person if they are never exposed to new ideas? How can one improve their arguments for issues that they care deeply about if they never hear from the other side? Do we really want to live in a society in which people are afraid to voice their opinions?
There is something interesting I've noticed from many proponents of "safe spaces;" they often tend to be in favor of censorship until it threatens their own opinions. If a feminist's event had been canceled at a college campus, many would be protesting and accusing the university of misogyny. However, according to them, universities have the right to choose who they want to host, right? Censorship isn't so great if it's not working in your favor, is it?
Protecting others' right to free speech also protects your own. If you try to censor someone's ideas because they are offensive to you, there will not be much to prevent someone on the other side from trying to do the same. Many college campuses value racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity, and that's great; however, we also need to value a diversity of thought.
