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Curtis Chase's avatar

It is hard to call people out on excess when one is in general sympathy with the cause. Most of us do, in fact, want to see more inclusion in our universities, in our institutions, in our governmental organizations - even in the few newspapers we still read. But there has arisen a certain kind of identity ideologue who seems determined to shoot everything that moves, to find fault in even the most innocuous of expressions, to create conflict where harmony ruled. And so our leaders of these institutions and schools need to engage in the very difficult ask of saying "you have gone too far." It is, I think, an inherent consequence of diversity evolving from a principle to a profession - when your job is comprised of nothing more than identifying inequity, one is obliged to find some, whatever the circumstances.

And, sad to say, the pushback has to include the calling out of people by their specific name - a lot of the excess of recent years has come from the complainants being largely anonymous, giving them a certain kind of power over their higher profile leaders. Leaders -and editors- have indulged this intemperance for at least a decade now, with the result that a lot of people of good will have become disheartened, intimidated, indifferent. In these perilous times, this is not dynamic that can be allowed to persist. I have noted institutions from Stanford to the New York Times beginning to clear their throats and say "this is too much"; here's to more courage exhibited toward those with whom we are in broad agreement.

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Alycia Keating's avatar

This was yummy. I've been excoriated for "tone policing" (after asking for civility in discussion), and "cultural appropriation" (for liking a brightly patterned Kaftan sort of dress)...wha? I have traditionally been left of center politically and socially but the kind of social-behavior excrement I have been hearing makes me want to smack someone upside the haid. Oh the butthurt by XYZ groups! "I'm sorry you feel that way," is going to be my mantra going forward.

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