A letter from who a student who believes college-aged students are too sensitive to opposing opinions that do not align with their personal philosophies.
In the last century, thousands of college-aged young men and women have lost their lives fighting to protect the U.S. and our allies from oppressive regimes and dictators.
From the beaches of Normandy to the jungles of Southeast Asia, members of our armed forces fought, and in many cases witnessed horrific offenses to humanity. Today, many of the decedents of the Greatest Generation, who lived through those horrifying events, are living much easier lives in college.
In recent weeks, there has been an uprising of college students who are offended, scared or intimidated because someone has expressed an opposing opinion that does not align with their personal philosophies.
College provides an opportunity to grow and mature. One of the primary experiences attending institutions of higher education can provide is the opportunity to discuss different cultures, views and opinions. Contrasting viewpoints should spark a conversation and allow for the free exchange of ideas, enlightening both parties on the other’s opinion.
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Unfortunately, some students have taken their disagreements with others' beliefs too far. These students have demanded “safe spaces” void of any ideas they have deemed offensive or controversial, like when Dr. Hoff-Sommers spoke about modern feminism at Georgetown University. In many instances, students have created long lists of demands that they feel will allay their concerns, like Oberlin College students’ demands, which included more fried chicken and no grades below C’s. What is worse is that many times administrations cater to this behavior, allowing for safe spaces, trigger warnings and, in the case of Wesleyan University, defunding the student newspaper after a conservative article runs.
Universities need to draw a line when students demand safe spaces and specialized training to cope with chalk drawings and paintings of opposing views. Students need to learn to live outside the sheltered space of a college town. How will students survive when they graduate from college and leave the protected confines of their parents’ homes?
College students could learn a lot from members of the Greatest Generation. College-aged kids in the '40s fought World War II in a barrage of machine gun fire. They came home from war and helped rebuild America, expecting nothing from the country but the opportunity to succeed. These experiences, void of safe spaces, helped mold American heroes and strengthened our country.
I hope students who are offended or feel unsafe because of innocuous chalk drawings and paintings acknowledge what being unsafe really means. I hope colleges and universities do not cater to pandering millennials and instead tell them to grow up.
David Parkhill is a sophomore studying business management at Ohio University.
