Discussion about this post

User's avatar
getch's avatar

Once again, this is so well explained and provides an amazing level of moral clarity that steps back from looking into the world with colonial lensing. From having spent 16 years in academia, I can say that the notion that college campuses be "safe spaces" is dangerous and I can confirm that it stems from the neoliberal ideology that colleges/universities should be businesses and with academic inquest being secondary, yielding to sources of revenue. Bear witness to the quick, unambiguous response of universities who often use their own internal police to repress these demonstrations. I come from Umass, where the Westboro Baptist Church was allowed to demonstrate outside of the Stonewall Center. It sorely tested my stomach for free speech, but I still believe that the best solution to free speech is more free speech. For reference, the Umass police department arrested and charged over 130 students, faculty, staff, and members of the community armed in riot gear. https://dailycollegian.com/2024/05/students-allege-brutal-treatment-by-police-following-may-7-arrests/

Colleges are and should never be "safe spaces." They should always be places of inquiry and examination that is free from the coercive constraints of big money. They should not be spending students into a lifetime of debt to fund a heavily armed and militarized police force that has greater funding than ANY academic department, and even health services. They definitely should not have armored combat vehicles and automatic weapons as I can confirm from my employment handling budgetary information, especially relating to vehicles. Anyways, I left that place in 2020 over the ethical quandaries about what I was contributing to. I will not ever return to one of these neoliberal academic institutions until they divest from that ideology, become fully government funded to the point that the top three departments aren't Athletics, building and grounds, and yes, the campus police. For more proof of these being neoliberal institutions, the "development and alumni relations" departments earn an honorable mention as the fourth biggest budget. That's where the money comes from to pay for television and social media advertising. The whole concept of "safe spaces" is just a concept arising from the student being a "consumer."

Expand full comment
finnigan (she/him, he/her)'s avatar

thank you.

Expand full comment
4 more comments...

No posts