Universities Limit Free Speech to Avoid Hurt Feelings

Universities in the U.S. are so outraged by speech that may offend, that many of them have instituted speech codes outlawing speech that "hurts people's feelings." FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, strangely enough, is fighting battles all over the U.S. to remove isolated little dog pens where students may enjoy freedom of speech as guaranteed by the Constitution. These so-called "Free Speech Zones" are an attempt by university administrations to limit conflict, and while perhaps motivated by concerns that minorities are not subject to racial, religious or other harrassment, many are simply attempts to move intense dialog off the campus proper. However, the campus proper is actually a good place for intense dialog. But Americans raised on violent television may stupidly equate harsh rhetoric or disagreeable discourse to physical assault and sue for emotional distress, post-talking stress syndrome, or hit somebody in the face, depending on which channels they most frequently watch. For a good lesson in intense debate, check out the British Parliament debates on YouTube where good humor seems to alleviate some of the rough edges.