Such is the problem with us college students. We spend way too much time being offended, trying to find ways to be offended, and trying to decide if we are offended.
There are many reasons why students are this way. One reason is that students want, above all else, to be revolutionary. We will go to the ends of the earth to be anti-establishment and to rise up in romantic resistance, changing the world and being generally ignored by most other members of society.
In order to be revolutionary, one must be offended by everything that is considered self-evident in society. Thus, we can constantly complain about how the establishment is evil. For example, it may be obvious that calling undocumented workers illegal immigrants is common sense, in that they are both immigrants and illegal. Thankfully, however, revolutionary students can step up to the plate, be offended, and then inform us that this description is, in fact, evil.
A lot of students are offended by a relatively recent self-evident truth: diversity. Despite our fanatical attempts at open-mindedness, we react surprisingly poorly to the ramifications, both good and bad, of diversity.
Diversity, while extremely enlightening, is a difficult thing to adjust to, especially for many who grew up in an environment that was in any way segregated. From diversity, even the most emboldened, tolerant, revolutionary student will feel offended from time to time. The problem at UCSD is how badly we react to the pains of diversity.
Increasing diversity is the modern holy grail of most U.S. universities. Diversity is a way of allowing students to interact with other students who often live differently, teaching them to understand different customs and allowing students to freely express their heritage and tradition.
It is an undoubtedly constructive experience, but as in all things, not without its pitfalls. Diversity, by its very definition, must bring about some offensive situations.
From the beginning of time, humans have had problems accepting those appearing or acting differently. Until the last several hundred years, every war was more or less about genocide. In fact, it is perhaps remarkable that we have had any success at all in accepting diversity. But as any revolutionary student will tell you, we aren’t finished yet. They should know.
It’s still very difficult to accept different points of view, a fact that is only exacerbated by the incredible degree of freedom we are given in this country to say what we feel and to defend even extreme viewpoints.
For example, it is impossible to establish a Muslim Student Association as well as the Union of Jewish Students in close proximity without an innate level of awkwardness. Furthermore, to allow each of them the freedom to express their heritage and culture will inevitably create offensive situations. Any Jewish support of settlements in Palestinian territory may offend students of the MSA, particularly those of Palestinian heritage. To the UJS, it is no doubt offensive that the MSA refuses to condemn suicide bombings targeting the innocent.
While it is something of an achievement that a campus can support the coexistence of these groups, it should be understood that there will be turbulence along the way. This is a significantly better alternative to the more common student reaction: pleading to A.S. to approve a resolution condemning another organization’s viewpoint, or better yet, just using racial slurs.
In a more clichÈ example, take any student organization, movement, belief or ideology and place it next to the KOALA and there will a great deal of offense taken.
Much more disturbing is not whether students are offended, but rather how they and the university respond to offensive situations. In regards to these situations, universities are in an awkward situation. They must choose between leaving students to fend for themselves in many complicated social interactions, (many of which they have never experienced) or relying on IN LOCO PARENTIS and subsequently taking care of the students as though they are not ready for the real world. Universities have thus far opted toward the latter, offering a haven from tense encounters. In some cases, schools have blatantly tried to squash offensive events simply because someone was offended.
In offering students the right to not be offended, or at least by directing them toward the mindset that they deserve this right, schools are veering too far into protecting students from the real world. Things like the Principles of the Community, cracking down on hate speech and squelching other possible sources of offense may seem like a good idea to help students learn in the best possible environment, but it actually does students a disservice. It leads them to be offended by everything that disagrees with their way of life, which is the antithesis of diversity.
Beyond that, this strategy creates a fantasy world that leaves students unprepared when faced with real offensive situations, and no administration to offer a helping hand. Worst of all, the more students realize they can crush opposing viewpoints, merely by acting offended, the more students will be flooding into A.S. Council meetings, trying to label their opponents as purveyors of hate speech, which is already a despicably abused phrase.
And in the end, the sad but undeniable truth that we must realize is that it is difficult to live on campus with so many different people. It is just as difficult for a Christian to hear that his or her religion is the sole source of the world’s problems as it is for a Muslim student to be mercilessly mocked by satirical student publications.
However, these are the consequences of living in such a diverse setting and it will be difficult. But that is the power of freedom and diversity for good or for ill. If students hate it that much, then we might as well admit that freedom is a bad thing and start discriminating against one side of all ideological spectrums ó something many universities already do.
So, the goal of this year, should be to resist being offended by everything and just admit that many people don’t agree with each other and maybe even disagree with all their souls, but ultimately realize that it’s just diversity at work. It’s nothing to be upset about. Now, go out there and accomplish that goal, you filthy Yanks.
