Preventing Hateful Speech and Protecting Free Speech

As a frequent user of the internet, the arguments of "How Trigger Warnings Are Hurting Mental Health on Campus” are very familiar to me. Society as a whole, according to the authors, is censoring speech in order to protect delicate minds, most notably with trigger warnings. I partially agree with the authors--over-protection of student minds doesn't benefit them in the long run--but the authors fail to consider the ways in which society is becoming less censored. Students are not being coddled when are anonymously cyber bullied, or subject to racism, sexism and otherwise prejudiced treatment by peers, and even authorities like the police. The only difference today is that people are actually doing something about hateful speech and actions. Today, a professor may be fired for joking about rape, but in the past he or she could have raped a student and gotten away with it. The prevalence of trigger warnings may be an overreaction in some cases, but it is all part of a societal movement towards greater tolerance and accommodation.

Should trigger warnings be discouraged on college campuses? How can universities balance preventing hateful speech with protecting free speech?

Laura Roser
Week 4
10/10/15