Barbara Kay: From free society to fear society in the halls of higher learning

The Brantford campus of Wilfrid Laurier University is seen in a file photo from Jan. 18, 2019. BRIAN THOMPSON/POSTMEDIA NEWS

For many publishers, it has become normal that their older readers often preface their emails with allusions to their age. In this way, it has been indicated that when these types of readers introduce generation markers in their emails, it is generally a traffic light that means confusion in a cultural landscape so completely changed since their youth that they cannot orient themselves.

It is certainly clear that youth itself was really different from today’s youth, therefore, for many veterans, a feeling of empathy arises for them, thus sharing their anxiety about the continued erosion of classical liberal principles that we take for granted. as permanent. Especially the freedom to dissent from popular views.

Now, there is one point to clarify, it is clear that you do not want to claim that previous generations have been the most virtuous in human history, however, it is clear that they were eager to become adults, with the responsibilities and behavior that comes with adulthood.

Clear differences

Likewise, it is necessary to bring up the fact that previous generations made decisions that were certainly deferred by mature adults. Since many issues were resolved in meetings, debates, opinion pieces, etc. In this way, it could be said that the rational discourse was chosen, not the feelings, which were recognized but transcended, with which the issues were resolved.

Likewise, it is clear that if you had told that youth that one day the students would be shouting obscenities and shouting honks to avoid presentations by visiting speakers whose views they do not like, as is often the case in American universities and occasionally in Canada, They themselves would be truly surprised and possibly stunned. Likewise, if they had been told that one day a graduate student who exposed her class to a variety of opinions on a controversial topic, would be officially censured for including the opinions of a conservative commentator because her opinions could “harm” students, surely they would have gaped.

Not to be overlooked is the shocking death in May of George Floyd at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer, and the mounting wave of national and international protests sparking a wave of university statements full of votes to double the elimination of the “systemic racism” within its surroundings. Such statements were mandatory because it has become an article of faith in our universities that our campus is invaded by white-skinned racists. Even when there is no overt evidence of racism, “implicit” bias, an accusation against which there is no defense, is considered pernicious and damaging to all non-white members of the community as if it were open.

Source: Barbara Kay | National Post