The Safe Space and Speech Debate

9/3/2016

When you read, you produce an individual interpretation of a text. Let's call this your "reading" of that text, which represents one of many possible readings. For example, when/if you read Fahrenheit 451, you took away a sense of who did what, why it mattered, and what it all "meant" that emphasized some things over others based on your experiences and personal values: Maybe you saw it primarily as a defense of free speech in society, or maybe you took away the importance of art and reading in becoming a truly developed individual.

In this class, we're going to try to read multiple texts together and produce "intertextual" readings. This means we synthesize, or combine, ideas from the various texts to produce an interpretation of how they fit together. We're looking at the texts like participants in a conversation. You can imagine texts as potential puzzle pieces, adding up to reveal a bigger picture we didn't see before. Often, this will show something about the culture that produced the texts.

Our first experiment with this type of intertextual interpretation involves a cluster of articles related to the current debate over speech codes and safe spaces on America's college campuses. The University of Chicago sent a letter to incoming students that touched off a national conversation on the topic; now we'll join this conversation by reading, analyzing and debating the following:

-The actual text of the University of Chicago's controversial welcome letter
-An excerpt from President Obama's comments on this issue at Rutgers (see 39:05)
-Two news articles about the origins of this issue and free speech at U. Chicago
-Opinion pieces from a college student, professor and newspaper on the topic

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: Write two mini-paragraphs (4 sentences):
-Write a 1-paragraph rhetorical precis for ONE article we read in class.
-Write a persuasive response paragraph giving your view on appropriate speech.

Then print, read and SOAPSTONE the following article:

why_we_should_fear_university_inc_by_freddie_deboer.docx
File Size:	112 kb
File Type:	docx

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2 Comments

Shea Grant

9/18/2016 09:48:36 pm

I believe that appropriate speech is limiting to all humans can accomplish. With appropriate speech, women wouldn’t have voting rights, black people would still be enslaved- among other things. Nothing has ever been accomplished without someone saying something that makes someone else a bit uncomfortable. Appropriate speech has become a deflector for many conversations some just do not want to have. People have the option to receive help if they become upset, but just because something upsets someone, does not mean the world should stop talking or be required to stop talking about it. A world with appropriate speech is a world with no freedom.

In President Obama’s Rutgers University 250th Commencement Ceremony Speech on May 15th, 2016, Obama asserts that as students, they should not “feel like they’ve got to shut (their) ears off because (they’re) too fragile and somebody might offend (their) sensibilities” (4). He then encourages people to “listen to those who don’t agree with you” (2) and to “go at (people) if they’re not making any sense” (4). Obama suggests this because he does not want freedom of speech to disappear because people are offended by some topics or beliefs. He is targeting the college students at Rutgers, and people in general, and alerting them to the fact that they are lessening themselves by not listening to others. As the president of the United States, he exudes a fatherly attribute that feels like advice all throughout his speech.

Donovan Turner

11/8/2016 06:22:32 pm

A safe-space is "A place where anyone can relax and can fully express yourself, without fear of being made to feel uncomfortable, unwelcome or challenged". The LGBTQ group in colleges is an example of a safe space. In my opinion I think safe spaces are not a very good thing. Especially at colleges and universities, where your supposed to be getting prepared for the real world, you have to be exposed to other opinions. No one will go easy on you in the real world and you have to be prepared for the hardships. Safe spaces also take away our right of free speech, in the way that you are not allowed to contradict anyone. If we were not allowed to express ourselves, then what are we? President Obama tells people to “Listen to those who don’t agree with you.” so that you understand the other side of the argument. He also says you should "Go at people if they’re not making any sense”, meaning you should counter their points. Try your best to open people's eyes to your point of view and don't hide from them. Obama believes you must use the extent of your Freedom of Speech and you should not let anyone take it from you. In safe spaces, your inherently not able to challenge someones opinion and this stops us from having a strong society. I feel you need to take things head on and overcome them instead of shying away,it makes you a stronger person.

English and Philosophy

Mr. Biggs @ RBR