Student activism and free speech

The past few weeks have seen a wave of student activism across the country, with scandals at University of Missouri, Yale and others making national headlines. These events have spurred comparisons to campus activism of the 60s and 70s, with some declaring that students have put the nation on notice.

But this flurry of protests have also brought an onslaught of criticism, with journalists lambasting protesters and decrying what they consider a culture of oversensitivity and disregard for first amendment freedoms. Journalists who wrote off the protesters also failed to acknowledge the historical context in which people of color so often interact with the media. There is a history of distrust between communities of color and the mainstream media, and for good reason. The students were trying to create a safe space that marginalized groups so often are prevented from. As a student and person of color, I have watched these events unfold in the news and right here on campus, and I am troubled by the tendency to bring up free speech as an inherent counter to what’s occurring on college campuses. Further, it is concerning when individuals claim “political correctness” as a way to delegitimize calls for inclusion and demands for respect.

The first amendment essentially allows us to say whatever we want without government persecution. It’s a beautiful thing, and few if any activists are actually trying to override it. However, it does not protect us from criticism or consequences. At Yale, Erika Christakis was well within her right to criticize the administration for advising students on appropriate Halloween attire, though it is worth noting that the school wasn’t actually prohibiting offensive costumes but merely encouraging students to think thoughtfully about them. However, Yale students—private citizens—were also well within their right to criticize her and call for action. And this event was not an isolated incident—students have long been complaining about racial tensions and the failure of the administration to adequately address concerns about inequality on campus.

At the University of Missouri, journalists were quick to criticize student unrest and protests calling for the resignation of top administrators. In an incident occurring on public property, student activists were derided after a video surfaced of an Asian-American journalist being forcibly prevented from covering an event. Journalists who wrote off the protesters also failed to acknowledge the historical context in which people of color so often interact with the media. There is a history of distrust between communities of color and the mainstream media, and for good reason. The students were trying to create a space that people of color are so often prevented from.

As there is no perfect victim, no perfect movement, and using these events to discredit student activists takes away from the real issue at hand because instances of explicit and implicit racism cannot be cherry-picked—they are constant occurrences and daily realities.

These protests are not the result of a single incident but ongoing oppression and the inaction of administrators and those in positions of power. Opponents love to label student activism as petty or misguided and often romanticize civil rights movements of the past to further devalue the efforts of today. However, history has a tendency to repeat itself, and people will always find ways to dismiss demands for racial equality and the recognition of humanity as extreme. These same critics who mock safe spaces and trigger warnings often have never had to deal with these issues because every space is safe for them. “Political correctness” is a way for opponents to dismiss and devalue the claims of minority groups, to shame people into accepting a status quo that has never been accepting or welcoming. It is not censorship to want to create a more inclusive cohesive environment and demanding to not be ridiculed or made to feel unsafe is not “oversensitivity”.

I understand that universities—that Duke—may be more tolerant or accepting than other places, but we do not get a pat on the back for being better than an appallingly low standard. Free speech is crucial to a free society, and there are always going to be extreme cases that we must identify and swiftly critique. But an injustice for some is an injustice for everyone. We must all stand in solidarity to create a more equal world.

Michelle Menchaca is a Trinity senior. Her column runs on alternate Tuedays.