Interesting conversation. I am glad you were able to protect faculty and staff from the "BEST," but I still can only see it as potentially leading to a sort of fascist youth or Maoist situation where students denounce others in order to satisfy personal grudges. I think it would be great of one student can say to another, "I didn't like the word you used to describe ___. It reminded me of things racists say" or something like that and the second student would really take that on board. But weaponizing these conversations can only have a chilling effect on free speech. If students fear being "reported" for expression their opinions we are no longer having the free exchange of ideas. The purpose of the university has been defeated.
This ship has sailed. All hail the new totalitarians! After all, it’s for your own good. Who wants to live in a society where people can say stupid things that are merely ignored? Far, far better to punish those who dare opine without permission from the DEI committee. Next thing you know, we’ll have to endure jokes about people who aren’t white men!
I remember a young woman in grad school with me speaking to our shared faculty advisor, saying that she was appalled that in a comparative Christianity class students were being allowed to openly question the Trinity! She asked if there was a way to stop them. This was back in 1997. If it were today she would probably be reporting them to BEST.
Sorry if this comment comes across negatively (I really enjoyed the article) but I’m thinking about what happens after college when these students bring what they’ve learned to their employers? Will they see racism everywhere they go? I think the reason so many people think our country is more racist than ever is because of training like this in school. Kids are taught to see racism everywhere and especially in older generations who did not have such training.
I’m happy to be able to keep up with what is going on, however, through articles like this!
This was a beautiful piece and gave me hope. This is a profoundly human way forward—and exactly what we need. Thank you for shining your lights - both of you. I admire and support the work you are doing. 🌼
Interesting conversation. I am glad you were able to protect faculty and staff from the "BEST," but I still can only see it as potentially leading to a sort of fascist youth or Maoist situation where students denounce others in order to satisfy personal grudges. I think it would be great of one student can say to another, "I didn't like the word you used to describe ___. It reminded me of things racists say" or something like that and the second student would really take that on board. But weaponizing these conversations can only have a chilling effect on free speech. If students fear being "reported" for expression their opinions we are no longer having the free exchange of ideas. The purpose of the university has been defeated.
This ship has sailed. All hail the new totalitarians! After all, it’s for your own good. Who wants to live in a society where people can say stupid things that are merely ignored? Far, far better to punish those who dare opine without permission from the DEI committee. Next thing you know, we’ll have to endure jokes about people who aren’t white men!
I remember a young woman in grad school with me speaking to our shared faculty advisor, saying that she was appalled that in a comparative Christianity class students were being allowed to openly question the Trinity! She asked if there was a way to stop them. This was back in 1997. If it were today she would probably be reporting them to BEST.
Sorry if this comment comes across negatively (I really enjoyed the article) but I’m thinking about what happens after college when these students bring what they’ve learned to their employers? Will they see racism everywhere they go? I think the reason so many people think our country is more racist than ever is because of training like this in school. Kids are taught to see racism everywhere and especially in older generations who did not have such training.
I’m happy to be able to keep up with what is going on, however, through articles like this!
Thanks for having me on your podcast and Substack, Kimi!
This was a beautiful piece and gave me hope. This is a profoundly human way forward—and exactly what we need. Thank you for shining your lights - both of you. I admire and support the work you are doing. 🌼