+
opinion
+ +
KANSAN.COM | THURSDAY, OCT. 20, 2016
It's amazing how small you can write when a professor says you can use a notecard on your exam...
9 out of 16 weeks down! Just keep fighting!
So ready to fill out this semester's teaching evaluations
My hope one day is to become my computer and just die in the middle of class.
When you have a test in an hour but you're reviewing your amazon purchases and looking at where to get a stress relieving massage instead #Priorities
Think of all the places on your body that can get infected.
Our house has a fly problem - missed as trivial. By arguing that safe spaces infringe on freedom of speech because they restrict the ability to express one's mind, conservative groups ignore the entire notion of a safe space.
When your roommate asked you to pick her up from hospital at 4pm and you're still here 4 hours later
The bags under my eyes have their own bags
Today I found out that the most stressful part of my job is being given to another team, no more worries!
To everyone at KU Parking, thank you for all you do. Your hard work is very much appreciated!
Abolish KU Parking.
READ MORE AT KANSAN.COM
Me: logs into computer, opens google, computer fan: HiS iS aLl t o mu c h save ME I'm dyingggggg
You ever just wonder what meme copyright law would be like
Is the semester over yet?
Clowns + Trumpkins = scariest Halloween in a long time
I'll stick with Kansas when Kansas sticks with me
@KANSANNEWS
Sanchez: Safe spaces valuable, necessary
/THFKANSAN
KANSAN.NEWS
@UNIVERSITY
DAILYKANSAN
▶ SANDRA SANCHEZ
@sssanchez26
Recently, a video was posted of a meeting of the University chapter of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), in which students protested against the YAF's platform. According to their website, the YAF strives to combat the campus liberalization that it says is becoming more and more threatening to conservative ideologies. They seek to create discussion in which their ideas can be expressed without fear of censorship: a safe space, if you will.
Disturbingly, many right-wing media outlets picked up the video, referring to protesters as "social justice warriors" who were "screaming," "aggressive" and "explod[ing] in rage." Other articles have lauded YAF for standing up to protestors while being "subjected to nasty attacks." A handful of these articles were published on the national YAF website.
For an organization praising the value of free speech, YAF is rather critical of protesters exercising their freedom of speech.
In my opinion, to claim they are protecting conservative values under attack is historically ignorant and misplaced among subtler racist and gendered ideologies. After all, when the issues of abortion, religious freedoms and other historically polarizing topics arise on college campuses, conservatives choose to conveniently ignore freedom of speech in favor of restricting certain academic freedoms.
There is a reason minority groups are called minority. The ideologies of white, heterosexual, Christian males have long dominated the historical development of the U.S., and persist in modern institutions like the University and the political framework of the U.S. Safe spaces are one of the ways to mediate the privileges enjoyed by non-marginalized groups for the benefit of those who are Co-opting a safe space, or arguing against its necessity, thus threatens the well-being of these marginalized peoples.
Safe spaces, like trigger warnings, may not be necessary for everyone, but they should be available for those who need them and not dismissed as trivial. By arguing that safe spaces infringe on freedom of speech because they restrict the ability to express one's mind, conservative groups ignore the entire notion of a safe space.
To label safe spaces as the result of political correctness, or to say that they are a result of over-coddled young people, is to blatantly misunderstand the current climate of the United States. When there is a very real possibility that the next president is a rich, white man who has consistently maintained popularity while engaging in racist, sexist and other vitriolic speech, how can one claim that a community and support system for those who are blatantly targeted by him and
his followers is unnecessary?
As for conservative values, the reactions to Trump's sexist remarks in the past few days indicate that conservative values only apply to a select few: white males and the women in their families.
When chalking and other support for the candidate appears on campus and in YAF, it should obvious why some marginalized students are worried about their safety on campus, especially if other students are demonstrating support for such hate speech.
Free speech is important, but so is recognizing how it may be damaging. Trigger warnings and safe spaces are created not to censor, but rather to ensure that all people may be comfortable
Illustration by Jacob Benson
expressing themselves. A safe space does not encourage students to avoid difficult subjects or controversial opinions, but rather provides a way in which they can healthily and safely confront them.
Just because they do not apply to you, does not mean they are not important. If you are comfortable enough to speak your mind, think hard about why someone else may not be, and why your safe space is not safe for everyone.
Sandra Sanchez is a junior studying history, Chinese, and global and international studies.
- Edited by Chandler Boese
with Will Admussen
lightly SALTED
Did I ask myself questions such as, "which one is worse: the advocacy of war crimes or mishandling of some emails?" and "why does he spend so much time justifying the size of his fingers?" Of course I did. Did I consider that my vote could essentially condene sexual assault? Certainly.
I've seen the tweets. I've looked at the emails. I know who Aleppo is. Despite all of this information, I just can't find one candidate that is better than the others.
▶ WILL ADMUSSEN
@wadmussen
Did I weigh the impact of a woman's husband's actions on her ability to lead, or consider what a refusal to release tax returns says about the candidate's integrity, a core principle of a leader and
But I can't decide which candidate represents the country I love to the rest of the world better. Is it the man that makes me cringe every time he says "China?" The other man who claims a lack of elementary
human being? Of course
Now, listen. I'm an American. A patriot. I run on Waffle House grits and the Monday Night Football theme song. I drive a Ford F-150 and conceal carry a prime grade sirloin steak for when the opportunity to grill arises. I bleed gravy.
Did these important questions lead me to make a decision? No. After all of this consideration, all of the candidates stood completely equal in my eyes. Maybe you'll be able to form some kind of opinion after asking yourself the same questions.
geographical knowledge is a positive characteristic of a leader? When I consider these points, I come up empty.
There are more layers of my civic disengagement: first, it's too much effort. Second, it doesn't matter any way.
But I can't decide which candidate represents the country I love to the rest of the world better."
Look, I realize how easy voting is. I realize that there is a polling location in the engineering building and that busses for the entire city of Lawrence are free on Election Day. For me, the extra half hour that I could gain instead of voting for the individual that gets to appoint the next Supreme Court Justice and influence the structure of our laws for decades to come could be spent doing better things - like watching all of the Air Bud movies or listening to Chingy.
Finally, I understand that my vote does matter. I understand the power my voice has, not only in picking the next president but especially in local and congressional races. I realize that the future of public policy could very well be influenced by a few seats in Congress, and that my vote could play a major role in that. Of course I know that many local elections are decided by just a few votes, but I'd rather give that opportunity to people I neither
know nor agree with.
So this election season, I'm giving up my vote. I'm going to stay home making my own squirrel jerky then complain about the result of the election for the next four years. I'm going to lament the flaws in our political system and the lack of representation I receive, despite passing on the opportunity to make my voice heard at the polls. I'm going to boo at whatever the result is in November, because I'm not voting.
Will Admussen is a senior from Urbandale, Iowa, studying political science and economics.
+