Free. Safe. Contested.
October 24, 2019 |
Free. Safe. Civil. Apparently anodyne words. And these days, also political whistles and triggers.Seems to be an awful lot of writing about campus speaking recently.
So how do we want to proceed together?
How does this sound for a start?
Let's attend to our mission as a Jesuit Catholic university that embraces the creative tensions inherent in our mutual commitments to Diversity and Identity, and to Catholic Identity and Dialogue.
As an intellectual community committed to cura personalis, let's keep asking both "what do I have the right to say," as well as "how might my words affect others?"
Let's assume good intent when we listen and speak.
And let's support our students as they express one view or another view on matters of deep conviction.
Finally, let's seek the discomfort and learning that come from probing important questions together.
Try the E/RS series Conversations Across the American Divide, which this week featured Dr. Nancy Isenberg's work (pictured).
What's next? Nov. 11. On my truth and your propaganda (cosponsored by Beyond Civility).
