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On the Media

This Is Not a Safe Space

On the Media

WNYC Studios

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4.68.7K Ratings

🗓️ 14 March 2017

⏱️ 23 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Violent protests by students at Middlebury College objecting to a visit by libertarian author Charles Murray spurred a renewed conversation about political correctness on campus.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Earlier this month, Libertarian political scientist Charles Murray, author of The Bell Curve,

0:08.8

which is derided by many as a racist take on the relationship between genetics and intelligence,

0:14.7

was invited to speak at Middlebury College in Vermont.

0:17.9

I invite you to welcome with me. We won't.

0:21.7

This evening speaker, Dr. Charles Burry.

0:24.7

Murray only made it a couple of words into his talk when more than half of those crowding

0:29.2

the hall stood up, turned their backs on him, and proceeded to read a long prepared remark

0:35.7

on mass.

0:36.6

What is the most important must be spoken, made verbal in a share,

0:42.2

even after risk of having to get bruised or misunderstood.

0:47.4

When Mary and the liberal professor who was to interview him after his talk

0:51.8

were walking to the car, the crowds jostled him and injured her.

0:57.2

Thus, with violence, liberal students curtailed the free speech rights of a visitor.

1:03.1

The irony was not lost on the media.

1:05.4

The ensuing torrent of editorials were focused on some familiar themes,

1:10.2

namely trigger warnings, safe spaces,

1:13.0

and political correctness on college campuses. Today's college kids are so coddled, so protected,

1:18.7

they're the equivalent of a 13-year-old from a century ago. Why give them freedom of any kind?

1:23.8

You're fighting for the right to be a pussy and not hear opinions that you don't like.

1:28.4

We dove into all of this last September after noticing a letter sent to incoming freshmen at the University of Chicago, which read, quote,

1:37.1

We do not support so-called trigger warnings.

1:40.2

We do not cancel invited speakers because their topics might prove controversial, and we do not

...

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