Justice is a complex concept that Aristotle emphasized is not black and white. The prevalent trend on college campuses is the use of shaming, buzzwords, and slogans to silence individuals expressing a leftist agenda. This trend signifies a threat to free speech in academia. An example of injustice was highlighted where a black student was treated differently from his white counterparts in a classroom setting, shedding light on systemic racism in education.
Tensions have been ramping up at universities across the country as students continue to protest the war in Gaza. Reports of antisemitism, islamophobia, and harassment have led to concerns that some students have crossed a line into hateful and threatening speech that requires intervention. Others contend that efforts to clamp down on protests in the name of campus safety suppresses free speech. Within that context, we revisit this debate on adjacent issues from a few years back to see what lessons that can be applied to the current situation: Is Free Speech Threatened on Campus?
Arguing Yes: John McWhorter, Linguist and Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University; Wendy Kaminer, Writer and Lawyer
Arguing No: Shaun Harper, Founder and Executive Director of the USC Race and Equity Center; Jason Stanley, Professor of Philosophy at Yale University
Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates
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