ArLyne's Diamonds

A running commentary of ideas

Sunday, March 18, 2018

The stifling of free speech



The latest in the scary news about how free speech is being stifled in the classroom is the articles that show that students who did not participate in the gun-control walkout last week are being punished. 

WOW  Only one point of view is “the right one” it seems.  What have we done to allow our teachers and administrators to force their students into one box, one mold, one point of view?\

I’m scared.  I’m horrified.  It doesn’t matter what I believe about the particular issue – whether, for example I am for – or against gun control.  What matters here is that we are forcing our students to embrace only one point of view. 

There are two side-by-side headlines in today’s San Jose Mercury News that motivated me to write this blog.
1.     School-walkout unity also lays bare division among students. 

2.     Student punished for staying in classroom during walkout at center of controversy.

Dissent should have been encouraged.  Instead of walk-outs perhaps debates with strong opinions from both sides.

It’s not just about gun-control,

This whole notion of micro-aggression and safe-spaces on college campuses is just euphemisms for the same stifling of ideas.  Only one point of view is allowed.  All others are acts of aggression.  Do you really believe that? 

Please for the sake of all of us – let’s bring back free speech.  Let’s return to a nation that honors disparate points of view – not one that stifles them.



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