In politics today there are prominent discrepancies and double standards, which is in turn highly visible throughout society. One such conflict, also present on our campus, is free speech vs. safe space. Should we, as students, enjoy our right to free speech on campus, as we do off campus, or should we be censored in order to avoid potentially offending anyone?
As a promoter of free speech I believe in students’ rights to express their opinion on campus. A university campus is generally thought of as a place of higher learning, academic discussion, and debate. Free speech is essential to ensure this free exchange of ideas.
Currently as per the Carleton University Students’ Association’s (CUSA) official policy of “Safe-Space,” I am respectful of the rules. Recently I realized that Safe Space has a double standard. The concept of safe space is not to “trigger” a person by saying something potentially offensive or making them feel uncomfortable. It seems this courtesy does not extend to everyone.
At the most recent Carleton Academic Student Government meeting, students were told that Halloween costumes for Oliver’s Halloween party had to adhere to the safe space policy and “offensive” costumes would not be tolerated. It was announced that people would be denied entry to Oliver’s if their costume was deemed unacceptable at the door. This is fairly hypocritical as Halloween is a pagan holiday, and that in and of itself may offend people.
So that is one example, be mindful in your Halloween costumes as it may offend people. But the other side of this standard might come as a shock.
I had the displeasure recently to hear one of Carleton’s major promoters of safe space saying: “Yeah, I just got out of a huge Twitter war with a fundamentalist Catholic, so basically the worst human beings in the world.”
To make matters worse, this incident happened in the GLBTQ centre, a designated safe space on campus. On top of that, not a single person in the room (there were many) addressed those comments. Furthermore, a CUSA employee was present and didn’t say anything in response to the comment. As a CUSA employee, it is part of their job to ensure safe space policies are upheld.
Sadly, this is far from being the first incident in that particular centre. The same unchallenged violator was weeks earlier seen peeling off a Christian pride sticker, saying that it “shouldn’t be there” and tha,“they are sneaky, thinking that we wouldn’t notice.”
I must unfortunately say this has not been a new incident to Carleton either. Last year, former CUSA councillor Shauna Daly complained during a council meeting that all speakers on a current motion were “white men.” Is council not a place for all students regarless of gender or ethnicity to feel safe?
The double standard to this policy is that those who believe in censorship can dictate what we wear and say but when it comes something they don’t like such as Christianity, the male gender, or particular ethnicities, well… that’s not welcome on our campus it seems.
If CUSA and the administration wish to implement a safe space policy it should be enforced that it applies to all students of the association, regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion or creed, or any other unique trait, quality, or difference that is present within our student body. Carleton University should be a safe space for all students.
Ryan Husk
second-year global politics
