Week 7 Victor Martinez

Week 7
Victor Martinez
Section 002

A major theme in this week's readings was about the freedom of speech and how far it goes. In particular the article about trigger warnings on college campuses seemed very interesting. Personally, I feel that everyone deserves the right to speak their opinion on issues, even if the majority doesn't like it. While it is a courtesy to give people warnings about things ahead of time, as intellectuals students should be taught how to deal with opposing view points. Naturally free speech is a very divisive issue for people. Of course, free speech should not be used as a defense of hate speech in anyway, but to ignore these unsavory topics is to allow them to fester and grow. People need to start talking about things even when they are uncomfortable to discuss. It wasn't easy for the civil rights activists of the 60s to take a stand against racial injustice, which plagued the lives of many, but they did it regardless. A big reason our congress is so screwed up is because both sides want to play party politics instead of cooperating and reaching a middle ground. We need to have students challenge the issues that they don't like, instead of hiding from them and pretending they don't exist. Only through dialogue can anything be accomplished. Instead of hiding from the things we don't like, students should be taught to refute these unfair claims by citing studies and evidence. It isn't pretty, but we have to  not be afraid of debates and challenges. Dialogue can only advance when both sides listen to each other instead of creating echo chambers or shutting each other down. That said, hate speech is completely unacceptable, and we should stand firmly against it, and debate it.

Question: How far should free speech go?


References

Lukianoff, G., & Haidt, J. (2015, September). The Coddling of the American Mind. The Atlantic. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/09/the-coddling-of-the-american-mind/399356/

Wulmoth, P. (n.d.). [Free Speech]. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/in-pictures-32703071