Continuing on with more thoughts on censorship from the self appointed culture police. Today I was speaking with a young man who worked in catering at a large university while he was in school there. A campus conservative group invited a speaker to address them. The young man had to help prepare the room where the speech would take place. One of his tasks was to fasten the 400 seats to one another with zip ties. Why?
It turns out that another campus group didn’t want the speaker to come to the campus. When their efforts failed to prevent another campus group from having its own agenda, they ramped up their protest. Not by standing outside the talk. Instead they came in and tried shouting down the guest. In past encounters, they had thrown chairs. Hence the need for the worker to zip tie them in place.
I am not sure when it was determined that universities were no longer the place for an exchange of views–even widely differing ones. In my mind the behavior of the protestors, rather than discounting the views, seemed to suggest the ideas were very powerful. So powerful that merely hearing them would cause damage. Fascism on either end of the spectrum looks remarkably similar, doesn’t it.
Saved By Words 
Debate seems to be a thing of the past. It now seems to be who shouts the loudest!
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When I was in eighth grade we had to argue the point opposite of the one we had. A very good learning experience.
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Yes. I like to play devil’s advocate. It annoys my wife intensely.
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But it keeps the love alive! LOL
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I remember a time when universities were a hotbed of radical ideas and political protest. These days, it seems all they organise against are tuition fees and global warming.
The fire went out.
Best wishes, Pete.
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And opinions different from their own, whatever those happen to be at the moment.
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Here in our country, when your opinions run contradictory to theirs, they think you’re radical.
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I guess it is now the same around many parts of the world.
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It sounds like an erosion of freedom of speech, Elizabeth. These degeneration of our hard won rights are worrying.
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Who thought we would end up silencing each other in the name of freedom.
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Similar protests are happening at universities in the UK. It is sad that so many young people are afraid to hear opinions aired which differ from their own. Instead of putting together reasoned argument against opinions they don’t share, they seek instead to silence them.
When I was at secondary school (in the dark ages) debates were staged regularly. We were taught how to put forward our point of view and learned what was acceptable. I expect that is no longer seen as an essential skill.
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I am not sure what has made students fearful of contrasting opinions. I have been pondering that question for a while.
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I think this is because of the smallest family unit has shrunk. Most of us have one or two siblings, if any. We are not used to agreeing to disagree. The mobile phones and Dish TV ensures that we spend time away from healthy competition and learn never to lose and never to share. Even in India, where joint family system ensured that we heard diverse opinion, now we have a child per family. Hence healthy disagreement is a thing of past.
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That is a very good point.
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Terrible. This is happening everywhere.
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Why does it sound so much like India Prime Minister’s “support groups”? India’s economy has taken the worse dip since our independence 70 years back. Secularism, which is the soul of India and Indian Constitution, has taken the worst possible hit. Mob lynching against Muslims is a common exercise. Yet, nobody speaks about it. Reporters have lost their jobs and News Channels gave lost license to operate because tgey spoke. And, as I comment, i am scared that the cyber security cell will read it and send me to jail or some “supporter” will read it and make my life hell.
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I watch with horror from afar the direction India seems to be going away from an acceptance of all its citizens and religious practices.
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We need prayers…loads of them.
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You will have them. I already prayed about the tragic situation in Kashmir.
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