SMU students to campus officials: Don't treat us like snowflakes

[TexasTowelie]

In moving political displays by student groups to a new site on the SMU campus, university administrators may have wanted to tone down contentious rhetoric or maybe just free up centrally located green space. It's not clear.

Whatever they're trying to do, the job might have been a lot easier had they not unleashed the genie they're now trying frantically to stuff back inside the bottle: the truly idiotic term "triggering."

By floating this dopey trend-speak barrage balloon largely found on liberally oriented college campuses, SMU officials predictably made themselves an easy target for right-wing derision.

But, Lord love 'em, it was students themselves who stuck up for free speech this week. Leaders of student groups representing both the left and the right offered a grown-up and sensible response to a silly movement to "protect" young adults from ideas that might hurt their tender feelings: Thanks, but no thanks.

Read more: https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2017/08/03/smu-students-campus-officials-treat-us-like-snowflakes

[Squinch]

1. And thus continues the demonization of liberally oriented colleges.

I had never seen Blue Bloods before. I caught one episode where the chief of police is supposed to speak at a liberal arts college. There is a big to do about it, about whether the chief of police will be safe because they are so prejudiced and intolerant at those awful liberal arts colleges.

I'll never watch another episode, but you've got to hand it to Republicans. They get their messaging in even when we don't notice they are doing it.

[TexasTowelie]

2. SMU isn't even the most liberal Methodist affiliated university in Texas.

That honor belongs to my alma mater, Southwestern University. SMU split off from Southwestern because the Methodists in Dallas didn't want to make the trip south to Georgetown.

[Squinch]

3. I know. It seemed to me like the article was saying that SMU was so much

better than those terrible liberally oriented colleges. (Probably thinking of your alma mater and mine as the college "Don'ts&quot )

I also take issue with the article dismissing the concept of triggering. Though 'triggering' may be an overused and often misused concept, it is a valid concept. Anyone with PTSD can tell us that triggers are real.

[Paladin]

4. Sounds like Momma's and Daddy's money, talking. (nt)

[DuckBurp]

5. A tempest in a teacup

This "issue" arose because the Young Americans for Freedom chose to play the victim card. (Which is a skill they will use when they grow up to be Republicans.) Then, the governor thought he could score much-needed political points by weighing in. I hate to defend President Turner, but the display probably has more visibility at its new location than by Dallas Hall. Actually, it should be in front of the Bush Library to remind us why it even happened.