In recent weeks, there have been several vitriolic Wespeaks and a multitude of responses to them. Many students have taken offense at (what they considered, at least) insulting language, and some have urged the student community at large to “rise above” narrow-mindedness and blind rage.
Two things. First, I think it is extremely important to recognize that such hot-button issues as race, class, and sexuality will inevitably elicit strong emotions. Anger should be expected, and I think its absence would be far more troubling than its presence. While Jose Chapa“s Wespeak didn’t lead me to any huge insights into the nature of race and class at Wesleyan, it sure as hell did one thing: it got my attention. And I think that bringing race and class to students’ attention is a good thing.
Second, if you treat someone like an enemy that is all ze/he/she will ever be. Seeing queer pride banners or black history month as attacks against straight white people, or calling rich white students slave drivers – this only perpetuates a mindset of adversarial struggle. Now, I am definitely not trying to say that we should all be some big, happy family. We’re not. But buying into ”us vs. them“ rhetoric can make conflict into competition. Wesleyan is not the front line in any revolution. It is a university, with all the general problems of U.S. higher education and plenty of its own. These problems should not be obscured or ignored, but war they ain’t.
The main crux of my thoughts is this: politeness/restraint and respect are not the same thing. Hiding/silencing thoughts or feelings in the name of preserving peace only proves that there is no real peace to preserve. But dividing the student community into ”us“ and ”them“ is just plain lazy. Race, class and sexuality (while very important) cannot fully describe anyone. Moreover, to reduce a person to a category (one into which she/he/ze may not fit neatly) is not only lazy—it is disrespectful.
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