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Subject: Article(s) in question | |
Author: Joey |
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Date Posted: 15:01:33 12/15/03 Mon Written two months ago, with quotes derived from the http://forums.dankus.net post, "Speech Codes" (posted Oct. 21), is the first article in question: Ellis County students finding it harder to beat PC JOEY DAUBEN The Ellis County Press WAXAHACHIE – Ellis County students who attend the University of Texas and other schools are finding it increasingly difficult to express opinions without fear of backlash and intimidation from supporters of political correctness. “The liberal crazies will jump down your throat if you say anything that might offend anybody,” said UT engineering student and Midlothian High School grad Anthony Smith. In fact, many schools Ellis County students attend have restrictions on what can or cannot be said, and many are required to attend classes on diversity and multiculturalism. “They preach diversity and all this other stuff, and are even lobbying to have a mandatory diversity class using some of our free elective credits,” Smith said. “I have 3 hours of free elective credits, and I don't want to spend all of them in this mandatory diversity crapola.” Shannon McGuire, a freshman at UT from Waxahachie, said she feels intimidated for saying things, for fear that she might be labeled a “homophobe” or racist. She jokingly referred to her professors as “raging homosexuals” on a web forum. Something like that, she said, wouldn’t be allowed on campus. “I have stopped saying things are ‘gay’ for fear I'll get jumped,” she said on Midlothian-based http://forums.dankus.net. Many students refer to situations or people as “gay”, though not meaning anything or having to do with sexual orientation. Still, schools, both public and private, are trying to crack down on offensive speech towards minority groups and homosexuals. Critics barrage the codes as violating students’ First Amendment rights. Officials with the taxpayer-funded schools, however, said it’s to promote awareness and safety on campus. “Because of my job, I'm usually careful of being PC in public, but if I were ‘corrected’ I would probably hop on my soap box and give whoever thought they were being smart something they weren't expecting,” said April Adams, a Waxahachie High School graduate and a UT government major. “On the other hand, I wouldn't be sorry and I wouldn't ask to be forgiven, but I might apologize if I felt the person was truly hurt. “I'm not sure I'd bring the First Amendment into the argument; I'd be more likely to turn sarcastic and go back to the original subject.” But schools like Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie, because they are private, can restrict actions and language considered offensive. For example, using cuss words on campus, in class, or to another student can result in hefty fines, which is the case at SAGU. This is legal, courts have ruled, because Constitutional protections do not apply to private universities and schools. The “UT guys have got to put these liberal queers in their place,” said Blake Barton, a student at the University of North Texas and an Ovilla resident. “We can say whatever we want so they can choose whether to listen to it or not. “I'm glad I'm not at UT.” Each high school in Ellis County has also devised codes of conduct dealing with offensive speech. Several white students at Midlothian High School, for example, say they are constantly corrected when they use the word “black” to describe a black student, instead of the more politically correct “African-American.” The current speech-code debate centers more on sexual orientation, because larger numbers of students are “coming out” of the closet. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] |
Subject | Author | Date |
Second (Dec. 11) article | Joey | 15:07:43 12/15/03 Mon |