Republicans: College is Bad

[Elheru Aran]

One thing that may have gotten lost in the discussion here is that part of the sudden increase in Republican disdain for college is the spectre of liberal college students being allowed to protest when the administration or the College Republicans invite a right-wing speaker to the campus.

Liberal college students protesting has been around for decades, with concurrent disdain paid to it by conservatives. I'm not sure why it would be a bigger deal now?

[TheFeniX]

So, in sum... American public education is totally fucked?

No. At least IMO, there's just multiple "small" changes that need to be made. But the changes that need to be made are mostly going the wrong direction.

Since you brought it up, I'll give one example: Charter Schools. There's money to be made here. But also it's an effective way to get around such things as educational requirements and separation of church and state. So, it's no wonder the GOP wants money out of public schools and into private schools.

One thing that may have gotten lost in the discussion here is that part of the sudden increase in Republican disdain for college is the spectre of liberal college students being allowed to protest when the administration or the College Republicans invite a right-wing speaker to the campus.

It's possible it's just more visible these days. Let's not forget the hippie bashing. But even old fogies can now connect to Facebook on their iPad and connect with and see all the postings from their progeny during any given part of the day. And they can also see all the feeds from those people's friends. They get kind of bombarded by this, so it doesn't surprise me they can't handle it and lash out more.

[Civil War Man]

Liberal college students protesting has been around for decades, with concurrent disdain paid to it by conservatives. I'm not sure why it would be a bigger deal now?

If I had to take a guess, I'd say we can thank an increasing radicalization of the American right-wing. I mean, we have the Tea Partiers and their Obama Derangement Syndrome, Three-Percenters and the whole Bundy gang who spent nearly the last decade hoarding guns because they think the Democrats are going to put them into FEMA Death Camps or something. Even the Klan and Neo-Nazis are seeping out of the woodwork, deciding that Trump's ascendance means it's their time to come out of the closet, so to say. And we have Gamergaters, MRAs, and their ilk constantly shrieking because they see feminists and "Social Justice Warriors" lurking in every shadow.

It's gotten beyond disdain and flown straight into the realm of pathological hatred. There are people out there that would probably have been a hair's breadth away from climbing up a clock tower if Hillary had won in November. I'm sure you can find people on this board who can link you to right-wing boards where members openly fantasize about executing Democrats in the streets. I know there is someone here (Gandalf, I think?) who even had a recurring Testing thread not all that long ago that pretty much covered that very subject.

[Elheru Aran]

Liberal college students protesting has been around for decades, with concurrent disdain paid to it by conservatives. I'm not sure why it would be a bigger deal now?

If I had to take a guess, I'd say we can thank an increasing radicalization of the American right-wing. I mean, we have the Tea Partiers and their Obama Derangement Syndrome, Three-Percenters and the whole Bundy gang who spent nearly the last decade hoarding guns because they think the Democrats are going to put them into FEMA Death Camps or something. Even the Klan and Neo-Nazis are seeping out of the woodwork, deciding that Trump's ascendance means it's their time to come out of the closet, so to say. And we have Gamergaters, MRAs, and their ilk constantly shrieking because they see feminists and "Social Justice Warriors" lurking in every shadow.

It's gotten beyond disdain and flown straight into the realm of pathological hatred. There are people out there that would probably have been a hair's breadth away from climbing up a clock tower if Hillary had won in November. I'm sure you can find people on this board who can link you to right-wing boards where members openly fantasize about executing Democrats in the streets. I know there is someone here (Gandalf, I think?) who even had a recurring Testing thread not all that long ago that pretty much covered that very subject.

So... what one could call Facebook-itis, in other words? The mild derangement caused by massive levels of over-communication with everybody and their brother's cousin's sister's next-door-neighbor's college roommate?

[TheFeniX]

So... what one could call Facebook-itis, in other words? The mild derangement caused by massive levels of over-communication with everybody and their brother's cousin's sister's next-door-neighbor's college roommate?

It's not so much that... ugh, I used to have some reading on this bookmarked and Google is failing. Ok, here's the gist.

This extra information is not bad or good. As the Internet is primarily a younger game, kids get exposed to a deluge of information at an early age. This gives them a bit more perspective on many topics. They don't just have to rely on what their parents or the MSM is telling them.* However, this can also easily lead into someone finding a hugbox that fits their world-view. However, kids are still "salvagable" in this area because they've got years left in their formative years, even going into the 20s.

They are going to be challenged if they end up on the Internet long enough. And once they realize they don't know shit, they start to recover from that "I'm 16 and invincible."

So, you're 40+ (or whatever) and you finally get in on this Internet thing. You've grown up where access to this deluge of information wasn't readily available and have already likely found your own hugboxes over the years. You tend to stick with "safe" sites finding what conforms to what you already "know" about the world. And it's so easy to find that information and ignore what doesn't fit because this is the goddamn Internet.

So, you find the info you want, then your kids/friends (or people you THOUGHT WERE YOU FRIENDS BUT ARE ACTUALLY COMMIES!) are now blasting their own views to anyone who will listen. And you tend to double-down, since you're already older and set in your ways, and become more and more convinced the world you know is dead or dieing. If it's "dieing" then you react punitively because "LIBERALS GIVE YOU CANCER!" was not something you could realistically be bombarded with all day every day. Sure, early 2000s Fox news was bad, but it doesn't have SHIT on the Internet hate machine.

*Although with a lot of corporate takeover of the Internet, this is becoming an issue in of itself. Not 10 years ago, the Internet was more "spread out," but over those past years the Information for consumption on the Internet has collapsed into a few major sites, Facebook, Yahoo, Google, etc. This is a problem. Sure, it's easier to FIND info, but it's also easier to just watch Fox News rather than a aggregate of MSM sources.

And Facebook is NOT helping what with how interconnected it is and their problems will bullshit news articles that will tell you whatever you want to hear, no matter how outlandish. And, even though people can generally spot a scam, they are fucking moronic when it comes to spotting them on the Internet, especially the older you are.

[Broomstick]

One thing that may have gotten lost in the discussion here is that part of the sudden increase in Republican disdain for college is the spectre of liberal college students being allowed to protest when the administration or the College Republicans invite a right-wing speaker to the campus.

Liberal college students protesting has been around for decades, with concurrent disdain paid to it by conservatives. I'm not sure why it would be a bigger deal now?

It is and it isn't.

Partly, right now the right wing has more control than in the past.

It's also the fuzziness of time - I remember back during the Kent State shootings and shortly after (1970, for those of you trying to remember when that was) people who said the hippies had it coming. It's just been a few decades since things were this nasty. We did go through a relatively quiet time on campus. During the 1960's it wasn't just poor folks and people of color demonstrating in the streets, college students where getting violent on campus (and elsewhere, see "Weather Underground")

The US is getting very polarized, even by US standards. I suspect it will continue to get more in the next few years. I also expect to see more violence.

[Flagg]

One thing that may have gotten lost in the discussion here is that part of the sudden increase in Republican disdain for college is the spectre of liberal college students being allowed to protest when the administration or the College Republicans invite a right-wing speaker to the campus.

Yeah. It's funny how they drop that "the free market should reign supreme with customers acting as part of the invisible hand-job" bullshit when the "customers" are college students who don't want their tuition money going to a talking pile of shit.

[cosmicalstorm]

I'm very into the Alt-Right now and word is definetly out that US colleges are filled to the brim with hardcore SJW students, RA's and professors.
In the past this could be smoothed over by friendly media coverage. But now the Alt-right have their own information eco-system.

Want to learn how to become biqueer trigender LBTQ BLM BLZM with extra Harry Potter classes? Fine, go to a college. Take a huge loan that can never be repayed.

Maybe wishful thinking but those college cities who used to mock rust belt towns might get a taste of their own medicine if college status continues to drop like a rock?

[Gandalf]

I'm very into the Alt-Right now and word is definetly out that US colleges are filled to the brim with hardcore SJW students, RA's and professors.
In the past this could be smoothed over by friendly media coverage. But now the Alt-right have their own information eco-system.

Does this mean that angry conservateens will stop going to universities? Neato.

[Civil War Man]

I'm very into the Alt-Right now and word is definetly out that US colleges are filled to the brim with hardcore SJW students, RA's and professors.
In the past this could be smoothed over by friendly media coverage. But now the Alt-right have their own information eco-system.

Isn't this the same "information eco-system" where climate change is a hoax created by the Chinese, Trump won the popular vote and had the biggest inauguration crowd in American history, and Obama was going to institute Sharia law and take away everyone's guns any second now?

[Ralin]

I'm very into the Alt-Right now and word is definetly out that US colleges are filled to the brim with hardcore SJW students, RA's and professors.
In the past this could be smoothed over by friendly media coverage. But now the Alt-right have their own information eco-system.

Suddenly all those bunk articles about the Islamic refugee hordes overrunning Europe you kept spamming make sense!

[Zaune]

I'm very into the Alt-Right now...

You really need to find a better hobby.

[Tsyroc]

I can sort of see why people might be thinking this if all they are seeing are students in Berkley violently boycotting speakers they don't agree with. Students going off about the cis white males and their privilege, the patriarchy, micro aggressions etc... and of course the complete clusterfuck that Evergreen College has turned into. If they associated that with those assholes in Antifa or BAMN, then I would be hesitant to send my kids (if I had any) to college too.

There might be some people who see the cost of college as not being worth it which is certainly a thing to really consider before attending. The prices have gone up as student loans have become easier to get. I'm all for people getting more education but these days I'd still question the cost if it wasn't going to lead directly to employment.

[Dragon Angel]

I can sort of see why people might be thinking this if all they are seeing are students in Berkley violently boycotting speakers they don't agree with. Students going off about the cis white males and their privilege, the patriarchy, micro aggressions etc... and of course the complete clusterfuck that Evergreen College has turned into. If they associated that with those assholes in Antifa or BAMN, then I would be hesitant to send my kids (if I had any) to college too.

The thing is, college is obviously so much more than all of that, even if you were inclined to think college turns people into the mythical "Social Justice Warriors". Where else are you supposed to learn advanced physics, or enough human biology to become a doctor, or how to parse a nation's legal system, or how to engineer a naval ship without letting your sailors die at sea? Are you just going to try to prevent your child from taking on any STEM profession or, heaven forbid, something artsy?

It takes an extreme amount of delusion to think you can accomplish all those without several years of advanced education, with some of them even taking more than a decade of academic learning. Thinking somehow progressives speaking "too harshly" is a result of colleges and universities, and/or all that colleges and universities do is churn out radical feminists and nothing else, requires a serious fundamental misunderstanding of all higher education. As in, these people really do not know what actually happens in any university, and have no knowledge of how society can accomplish anything.

[Ralin]

The thing is, college is obviously so much more than all of that, even if you were inclined to think college turns people into the mythical "Social Justice Warriors". Where else are you supposed to learn advanced physics, or enough human biology to become a doctor, or how to parse a nation's legal system, or how to engineer a naval ship without letting your sailors die at sea? Are you just going to try to prevent your child from taking on any STEM profession or, heaven forbid, something artsy?

It takes an extreme amount of delusion to think you can accomplish all those without several years of advanced education, with some of them even taking more than a decade of academic learning. Thinking somehow progressives speaking "too harshly" is a result of colleges and universities, and/or all that colleges and universities do is churn out radical feminists and nothing else, requires a serious fundamental misunderstanding of all higher education. As in, these people really do not know what actually happens in any university, and have no knowledge of how society can accomplish anything.

This is pretty much exactly why places like Liberty College exist. People who feel that way do have options, if shitty ones, and the more people who pursue them the more financial and political pressure there will be on real schools.

[biostem]

I can sort of see why people might be thinking this if all they are seeing are students in Berkley violently boycotting speakers they don't agree with. Students going off about the cis white males and their privilege, the patriarchy, micro aggressions etc... and of course the complete clusterfuck that Evergreen College has turned into. If they associated that with those assholes in Antifa or BAMN, then I would be hesitant to send my kids (if I had any) to college too.

The thing is, college is obviously so much more than all of that, even if you were inclined to think college turns people into the mythical "Social Justice Warriors". Where else are you supposed to learn advanced physics, or enough human biology to become a doctor, or how to parse a nation's legal system, or how to engineer a naval ship without letting your sailors die at sea? Are you just going to try to prevent your child from taking on any STEM profession or, heaven forbid, something artsy?

It takes an extreme amount of delusion to think you can accomplish all those without several years of advanced education, with some of them even taking more than a decade of academic learning. Thinking somehow progressives speaking "too harshly" is a result of colleges and universities, and/or all that colleges and universities do is churn out radical feminists and nothing else, requires a serious fundamental misunderstanding of all higher education. As in, these people really do not know what actually happens in any university, and have no knowledge of how society can accomplish anything.

Well, let me ask you this - what if there were colleges that only focused on hard sciences, with absolutely no "soft sciences" or "social justice" courses? What if a new form of college loan was introduced - one where some backer interviewed you, you submitted what type of degree you were going for, and they would choose to back you or not back you, in exchange for a % of your future earnings? There is a pretty obvious return on investment in, say, a petroleum engineering degree, vs a social justice one...

[Dragon Angel]

Well, let me ask you this - what if there were colleges that only focused on hard sciences, with absolutely no "soft sciences" or "social justice" courses? What if a new form of college loan was introduced - one where some backer interviewed you, you submitted what type of degree you were going for, and they would choose to back you or not back you, in exchange for a % of your future earnings? There is a pretty obvious return on investment in, say, a petroleum engineering degree, vs a social justice one...

1. How do you draw the line between "hard" and "soft" sciences? That is a very subjective measure; I've even seen mathematics being described as "soft", while everything else that applies it "hard". At some point also, disciplines between either of those intermix, such as in the case of psychiatry and psychology. You just can't avoid that crossover without skipping a significant amount of material and making your degree effectively worthless.

2. The inclusion of "social justice courses" is irrelevant. It's the belief that colleges/universities are worthless, in general, that is being addressed. This includes hard and soft sciences and every other type of degree that is socially deemed "acceptable", such as law.

3. That loan sounds partially already like what garnishment is? Except, instead of being involuntary it is voluntary, and with a contract stating any number of your future earnings no matter what job, no matter your poverty level, is to be paid for any number of years. It sounds extremely ripe for abuse actually if it is not regulated to hell and back.

[Elheru Aran]

The only way I could see that working is if there was some way for either side to voluntarily opt out, and if you were more or less guaranteed a job if you graduated with a minimum GPA or whatever. Something like "if you graduate with a 2.5 GPA or above we will give you a job at x pay grade, with a 3.5 you will get x+1, with a 4.0 you will get x+2, but below a 2.5 GPA we will not hire you". You then run into the problem of what happens if someone takes such a loan and then fails, are they stuck with paying off the loan?

Frankly it's well overdue that the US moved to a more European model of paying for college, in which state schools are free(ish) to citizens. Of course then they'd have to cut sports programs massively...

[Ralin]

3. That loan sounds partially already like what garnishment is? Except, instead of being involuntary it is voluntary, and with a contract stating any number of your future earnings no matter what job, no matter your poverty level, is to be paid for any number of years. It sounds extremely ripe for abuse actually if it is not regulated to hell and back.

Well theoretically in this system there would be the check of actually having to convince someone with a financial stake in the outcome that you know what you're doing and have a plan to use your degree to make money. Who also presumably wouldn't be able to count on the government repaying them if it doesn't pan out. Which would tend to increase the number of people whose degree proves to be a good investment.

Frankly, companies sponsoring students for engineering and science degrees with the requirement that they work for them afterward would be a great improvement over a lot of corporate practices these days.

[Ziggy Stardust]

Well, let me ask you this - what if there were colleges that only focused on hard sciences, with absolutely no "soft sciences" or "social justice" courses? What if a new form of college loan was introduced - one where some backer interviewed you, you submitted what type of degree you were going for, and they would choose to back you or not back you, in exchange for a % of your future earnings? There is a pretty obvious return on investment in, say, a petroleum engineering degree, vs a social justice one...

Would you care to explain, exactly, what a "social justice" course (or degree, are you imply at the end) actually is, in your mind?

[Flagg]

I'm very into the Alt-Right now and word is definetly out that US colleges are filled to the brim with hardcore SJW students, RA's and professors.
In the past this could be smoothed over by friendly media coverage. But now the Alt-right have their own information eco-system.

Want to learn how to become biqueer trigender LBTQ BLM BLZM with extra Harry Potter classes? Fine, go to a college. Take a huge loan that can never be repayed.

Maybe wishful thinking but those college cities who used to mock rust belt towns might get a taste of their own medicine if college status continues to drop like a rock?

Wow. Throw some racial epithets in with your homophobic and transphobic bullshit so your parting shots thread is all it can be you Neo-Nazi shit.

[Flagg]

Well, let me ask you this - what if there were colleges that only focused on hard sciences, with absolutely no "soft sciences" or "social justice" courses? What if a new form of college loan was introduced - one where some backer interviewed you, you submitted what type of degree you were going for, and they would choose to back you or not back you, in exchange for a % of your future earnings? There is a pretty obvious return on investment in, say, a petroleum engineering degree, vs a social justice one...

Would you care to explain, exactly, what a "social justice" course (or degree, are you imply at the end) actually is, in your mind?

Anything pushing towards changing popular attitudes to the point of requiring tolerance for people born a certain way to remain in polite society. Basically, not letting Neo-Nazis (aka the "Alt-Right" as they are known in America) spread their hate and ignorance and say whatever they want, wherever they want, about whoever they want without repercussions.

[Joun_Lord]

While I can understand the complaints about colleges become "SJW hugboxes" more interested in trying to dictate things to the school rather then learning I do question where those concerns are overblown. Certainly there seems to be a problem with student activists being d-bags (on both sides, gasp I'm playing the middle, shocking) but I wonder if why something like Evergreen is so shocking is because its so out of the ordinary.

I think this sort of entitled attitude needs nipped in the bud or butt or whatever if for nothing else then the unrealistic expectations its creates of the real world (like that person who got fired from an internship for trying to start a petition to wear casual clothing because on person was allowed to wear casual footwear) and it creates a certain intolerant attitude not only towards shitbags (the alt-right, Neo-Nazis, and cunts like Milo Yianopolos) but towards anyone who holds a different opinion. In the real world acting like a fool towards anyone who you don't like or you just don't agree with (and don't like them because of it) is going to have consequences of the social, economic, and even legal kind.

But I also think colleges should be a place of learning before the real world, both learnin's of the book kind and learning about yourself and others. I'm not meaning learning whether your like guys or gals by experimenting with your roommate Dave when you two are drunk and it was only a one time thing about 6 or seven times but learning about your beliefs no longer under the wing of your parents, learning about the beliefs of others for good or ill. Why I have a problem with total bastards like Milo being banned from campus or the supposed (emphasize here, I've seen little to back it up though I also haven't cared enough to do much research) withc hunt towards conservatives/Trump deluded fools....I mean supporters. College should be where you learn to handle and tolerate diverse opinions, diverse lifestyles, different opinions, and even objectively terrible lifestyles and opinions (I don't feel like I'm making too much of an ass of myself to say being a fucking Nazi and holding Nazi views is living an objectively bad lifestyle while holding objectively bad pants on head insane bad opinions). It helps form your own opinions, your own beliefs and views while sketching out the rest of the worlds for you to compare yourself to, to see different isn't bad.

The ideological purity, the drives towards segregation, the want to shy away from any sort of objectionable or even just different opinion hinders the goal of preparing bright (and maybe not so bright) young minds to enter the diverse and varied world of slogging through some mind numblingly horrible 9 to 5 job where you will meet and have to work alongside all manners of people (even if sometimes you might have to stretch the definition of a person so it covers human shaped garbage). You can't at work throw a shitfit because Jim Bob kissed his husband Cletus or whine because Stacey has a MAGA hat or start a petition because Paul has a Hillary/Murphy 2021 bumpersticker on his briefcase even though bumperstickers don't go on briefcases and Paul should know this but fragrantly violates the intended purpose of the item like the dickhole he is. You'll get burn social and business bridges, you might even get your ass fired. You have to tolerate even total shitbags. Modern college kids, atleast some, atleast the newsworthy possible outliers, are not learning these skills.

But probably the biggest gripe about colleges atleast from me is they should be a place to learn and the costs, the fucking bananas ass insane as fuck bankrupt you for life and your next two reincarnations costs are definitely creating a situation where higher edumacation that is increasingly seen as standard and necessary for most jobs like a HS diploma used to be is leaves this place barred for many. They cannot afford to shoulder the debts, don't want to be paying on it for the next 20 or more years. I don't know if college should be free, like part of public education (for however long that lasts), but the costs shouldn't be so ridiculously enormous. I remember reading somewhere college costs have ballooned in cost several times higher then anything else, do not keep pace with income. Its nearly impossible for the non-wealthy to go to college without accruing stupid amounts of debt even with scholarships.

Education just like health care should not be bankrupting people.

[Dragon Angel]

Well theoretically in this system there would be the check of actually having to convince someone with a financial stake in the outcome that you know what you're doing and have a plan to use your degree to make money. Who also presumably wouldn't be able to count on the government repaying them if it doesn't pan out. Which would tend to increase the number of people whose degree proves to be a good investment.

Frankly, companies sponsoring students for engineering and science degrees with the requirement that they work for them afterward would be a great improvement over a lot of corporate practices these days.

On the flipside though, there are also the students that may show promise in the beginning, but then falter as college progresses to either a mediocre GPA or just plain dropping out. I would certainly be curious as to the numbers of that in today's system; anecdotally, I've begun to realize that is a far greater percentage of undergraduates than I'd realized.

Honestly though I'm with Elheru. The current US system is a hackjob and whether better or worse, this proposition still sounds like a hackjob with at least the same potential for abuse. There really is no reason the government can't begin to lend a hand, especially if we start to divert money from the already-comically-enormous military we've got right now for starters.

I think this sort of entitled attitude needs nipped in the bud or butt or whatever if for nothing else then the unrealistic expectations its creates of the real world (like that person who got fired from an internship for trying to start a petition to wear casual clothing because on person was allowed to wear casual footwear) and it creates a certain intolerant attitude not only towards shitbags (the alt-right, Neo-Nazis, and cunts like Milo Yianopolos) but towards anyone who holds a different opinion. In the real world acting like a fool towards anyone who you don't like or you just don't agree with (and don't like them because of it) is going to have consequences of the social, economic, and even legal kind.

...what? So, it's bad to be intolerant of intolerance? Because you're trying to frame this discussion as "mere opinions" when what people are protesting is systemic intolerance against marginalized groups.

I'm glad to know that Joun here is so middling he believes protesting bigots is just as bad as being the bigots themselves. I guess it's too "entitled" to want a campus where you don't need to be afraid of your own administration and fellow students.

The ideological purity, the drives towards segregation, the want to shy away from any sort of objectionable or even just different opinion hinders the goal of preparing bright (and maybe not so bright) young minds to enter the diverse and varied world of slogging through some mind numblingly horrible 9 to 5 job where you will meet and have to work alongside all manners of people (even if sometimes you might have to stretch the definition of a person so it covers human shaped garbage). You can't at work throw a shitfit because Jim Bob kissed his husband Cletus or whine because Stacey has a MAGA hat or start a petition because Paul has a Hillary/Murphy 2021 bumpersticker on his briefcase even though bumperstickers don't go on briefcases and Paul should know this but fragrantly violates the intended purpose of the item like the dickhole he is. You'll get burn social and business bridges, you might even get your ass fired. You have to tolerate even total shitbags. Modern college kids, atleast some, atleast the newsworthy possible outliers, are not learning these skills.

Uh, a. there is a vast world of difference between homophobia and not liking someone's hat, b. you can get shitcanned anywhere for disrupting the workplace or trolling your coworkers, c. many workplaces intentionally institute "No-PDA" rules which would render moot your Jim Bob and Cletus example.

And from where do you get that assertion kids aren't learning those? Or is any form of protest not respectful enough for you? Your post sounds like you're haphazardly trying to fit what you know from right wing propaganda outlets.

[Joun_Lord]

...what? So, it's bad to be intolerant of intolerance? Because you're trying to frame this discussion as "mere opinions" when what people are protesting is systemic intolerance against marginalized groups.

I'm glad to know that Joun here is so middling he believes protesting bigots is just as bad as being the bigots themselves. I guess it's too "entitled" to want a campus where you don't need to be afraid of your own administration and fellow students.

I think that certainly the argument can be made that tolerance should extend both ways if for nothing else then to protect everyone. Do I like people like Milo spewing hate speech or idiot Rebuplicans saying whatever lame brained sexist nonsense? Of course not. But I also like being able to say shit like "I'm the bald of religion" or "I want to marry a dude if I so felt like it". Because there was a time not so long ago saying that was considered socially unacceptable by many, some place still are. But the law protected (atleast the letter even if not those charging with enforcing it).

I'm not against protests but I am against denying anyone free speech which many times protests are aimed at doing, suppressing the right for someone to speak their peace. I only think someone protesting a bigot becomes as bad as them when they start following their rulebook. A anti-bigot protestor threatening people, denying their rights, even physically assaulting people, well paint my ass silver and call me the Silver Sphincter but that sounds like some pretty shitty shit to do, some almost bigoted shit to do.

And yes, I don't think anyone is entitled to a campus free of fear if they consider some assclown saying words to be reason to be afraid, if they think fellow students or the administration allowing it to take place means they need to be afraid of those lot. You have the right to not be harmed, words even bad ones, even bigoted ones I personally don't think is true harm. Muh privilege.

Uh, a. there is a vast world of difference between homophobia and not liking someone's hat, b. you can get shitcanned anywhere for disrupting the workplace or trolling your coworkers, c. many workplaces intentionally institute "No-PDA" rules which would render moot your Jim Bob and Cletus example.

And from where do you get that assertion kids aren't learning those? Or is any form of protest not respectful enough for you? Your post sounds like you're haphazardly trying to fit what you know from right wing propaganda outlets.

A, Its a bit more then disliking someones hat, its hating against someone based on their beliefs. Not exactly on the same level as homophobia but still can be a form of discrimination. B, that was pretty much my point that people have to learn to not be disruptive or risk getting shitcanned. C, it depends on the place but I'm sure most place ain't going to mind a peck on the cheek or even a hug. Even a hug can trigger some tiny brained caveman who can't handle the sight of two dudes being intimate at all. However if they want to keep their job they have to learn how to not go shouting "its against gawd" if they want to keep their jerb.

I'm getting that atleast some kids aren't learning those skills because they are not displaying them at skool and sometimes even in the workplace such as that intern who did not learn normal workplace conflict solving skills but instead went with the petition. To steal......uh borrow a line somebody else said, workplaces aren't a democracy, they are at best a benevolent dictatorship. At school that shit goes, they can throw together a petition, they can demand, doesn't work the same usually at a job.

I think there is a time and place for protest. And yes, there should be atleast some measure of respect, at the least no unwarranted physical violence, no mob antics designed to harass and intimidate people. One thing the fucking Christians had right (bout the only thing, bitterness thy name is Joun) was do unto others as you want dun onto you. You act like a violent asshole then don't be surprised when someone responds in kind, you act like a rights restricting fuck then don't act like its unexpected when your own rights get restricted.