Some college students say they are willing to sacrifice their rights to free speech in order to avoid offending their peers.
In a video released by Campus Reform on Tuesday, digital reporter Eduardo Neret asked students if they would be in favor of giving up their First Amendment rights out of consideration for others. Many responded in the affirmative.
“Would you guys be willing to give up some of your First Amendment rights to say whatever you want if it made some of your peers feel more comfortable?” Neret asked.
“Yeah, why not?” one student replied. “Yeah, but I don’t have an explanation. I just say yeah,” another said.
“Personally, I would do that, cause I mean if I’m just giving up a little of what I care about just to make others feel better. I mean, I’d do that. I’d make that exchange,” one student said. However, some students later in the video expressed doubt about how far such a concession should go.
Others confidently supported walking back free speech rights on moral grounds. “I’m a good person. I like seeing people happy and stuff like that,” said a student wearing a gray shirt and blue shorts. “I agree with him too. It’s just like, I don’t really mind,” a young man standing next to him said.
Neret told the Washington Examiner in a message that he spent hours speaking to students willing to be interviewed in Miami Beach, Florida. He said he came across little hesitation from many students in their responses.
“As you can see in the video, most shockingly said they were OK with schools monitoring their social media accounts and that they would be willing to give up their free speech,” Neret said, adding he believes it reflects the sentiments held by millennials and members of Generation Z. “This goes beyond the individuals interviewed in my video. A recent survey from earlier this year showed that nearly half of all college students support the use of speech codes and speech restrictions on college campuses. Nearly 80% support the idea of having safe spaces.”
“It’s shocking to see young Americans willing to give up their First Amendment rights at a time when free speech and expression are arguably more important and essential than ever before. We’re seeing people canceled for opposing the outrage mob. That these Americans support censorship to appease the ‘feelings’ of a few is highly disturbing,” Neret also said.
[Opinion: The fight for free speech on campus is a two-front war]
