'Safe Spaces'

[.Rai]

So this follows on from all of the drama surrounding Yale earlier this month, which is still ongoing. Firstly, I'd watch this video:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8UTj8lQJhY

 

For those without the time, a bunch of 'safe space' activists invite an Asian student to speak. Her narrative is basically her personal experiences, which includes a story of minority-on-minority racism, and also of a 'kind white woman' helping her. She ends with a message of 'We should not distinguish people by their race, or gender, or anything." Upon saying "Black people can be racist," she gets quickly shut down, and there's a vague aftermath that follows.

 

Interestingly enough, the concept of a safe space has almost flipped 180 from its original meaning: what used to be a term referring to something related to freedom of speech, has become a weaponised word that college students are using to mean a shielding from external opinions.

 

I don't really have any coherent thoughts right now, and this 'movement' has got a really unorganised message, making it equally difficult to respond to it, but I thought this would be a worthwhile discussion.

 

Discuss Missouri, Yale, safe spaces, free speech, minority racism, or whatever.

[Ryusei the Morning Star]

I'm really worried the Carol Swain deal at Vandy is gonna erupt into a fullblown Yale incident TBH. Our current PC culture is stupid and dragging us down

[Aerion Brightflame]

I find the idea that someone would claim they can't be racist because they are in a minority amusing. I know that it does actually happen as well, which is even more hilarious. It's complete bollocks of course, because you get racist people regardless of race or gender. But amusing all the same. Especially when you consider race distributions globally. 

 

You can argue political correctness is to blame for that idea, and that speaking out in opposition will have you labelled with the racism card, but it can't change the reality of it. 

 

It's like this idea of filling certain quota's of 'Gotta have a certain percentage of women or of X ethnicity' in employment, and that's just silly, because it's forcing you to hire someone based off of there gender or skin colour, which is in effect sexist of racist. When in reality it shouldn't mean a damn thing what gender they are, or what race, they should be hired and judge off of there individual merits. 

 

This video is just another case of how silly it is to me. 

[King K. Azo]

This... PISSES me the hell off. These 'safe spaces', they are nothing but a place where no intelligent conversations can be formed. It's for privileged little snots that never had a real problem in their life, and can't handle the real world. Screw your political correctness, screw your need to be sheltered. You come to college to expand your mind, not reinforce your narrow minded view of the world.

 

EDIT: As for racists minorities... when I grew up, it was a two-pronged attack from white and black people. It happens when you're the only Asian and you aren't good at physical things. 

[Sethera]

I agree with this woman that it's not about what race you are, because anybody can be an a-hole.

 

My story is just like hers in that I'm an Asian, and most of the racial harassment that's come my way has come from other minorities like African Americans or Latin Americans. That was definitely a surprise for me when I first came across it, since I was expecting solidarity. Somebody told me it's because they feel empowered and that harassing me is a way of demarcating themselves from me, the minority, making themselves part of the majority.

 

Of course I've met other people that are minorities who are awesome and treat me like a brother, but what I'm saying is that, yeah, anybody can be racist. Anybody can be a jerk. And saying that your skin tone automatically makes you exempt from that is just another form of racism.

 

Of course, most people here realize this, which is great. ^_^

[Trebuchet MS]

Reminds me of a "speaker's corner" in Singapore. You can say what you want there, but only if what you're going to say has been audited and approved. How ironic.

[epicmemesbro]

Ugh the extreme amounts of political correctness is ruining the quality of my education. I never thought I'd get " trigger warnings" for the content that I study. I think these "safe spaces" were intended to make some kind of progress. Well you can't make progress if you only have a discussion of things you only wish to hear. I'm also surprised they allowed her to speak as some of these activists don't find Asians (or Orientals being the proper term) a legitimate minority in a college setting..

[Ryusei the Morning Star]

 Screw your political correctness, screw your need to be sheltered. You come to college to expand your mind, not reinforce your narrow minded view of the world.

This so many times over.

[vla1ne]

People of any race can be racist, this woman is right, and the people attempting to shut her down are simply deluded if they think otherwise. the saddest part is that she was essentially told gtfo when the claim she made was the truth. and they decided to clap. i'm ashamed to be the same race, gender or species as those deluded people. The woman who was speaking is the kind of person who has enough courage to stand up and say what she thinks to a crowd of people highly likely to disagree with her, and she doesn't even have a complete grasp of the English language. that takes balls. I can guarantee that she's seen more adversity than any of the deluded fucks who think their "safe space" is going to prepare them for the world at large. 

[Dad]

As a black man in America, this makes me really funking angry.  These people--who I would dare call my brothers and sisters--are the exact same reason that the #BlackLivesMatter movement receives so much funking controversy.  They are the exact reason why we as black people come off as uneducated or ignorant.  They are the reason that we have to work so funking hard to accomplish anything.  It's this clouded, tunneled vision of "everyone else is racist but I can't be" that turns our public image into a problem.  Yes, we can be racist.  Racism is described--generally speaking--as an unreasonable hate against another human being for the color of their skin, their beliefs, or their morals and values.  And if you as a human being don't get that, or why our funking ancestors fought so funking hard to eradicate racism as a whole, then please, sit down, shut the funk up, and take a motherfucking history class.

 

Cuz guess what, jabroni?  MLK preached against all people like you.  He preached peace among people every where, while fighting to grant rights to us as brothers and sisters.  And you make my God damn heart hurt, when you go and do sheet like this.  So funk you!

[Halubaris Maphotika]

Going to try and participate without falling into the Identity Politics trap hole.

 

Honestly the general idea is moronic, regardless of its intended outcome. College is meant to be a place to prepare you for the real world. Can't wait for these kids to come out of College, they'll never make it.

 

Screw your political correctness, screw your need to be sheltered. You come to college to expand your mind, not reinforce your narrow minded view of the world.

 

Savage

[epicmemesbro]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xRlRAyulN4o

 

in Missouri "activists" are preventing the press from interviewing protestors. Its getting out of hand.

[vla1ne]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xRlRAyulN4o

 

in Missouri "activists" are preventing the press from interviewing protestors. Its getting out of hand.

 

so let me get this straight, in safe spaces they can yell at, touch, encircle, and harass him, but he can't ask them questions? they are in a public space, they have no right to object to their photos being taken or a reporter being present.