(May 9) The Campus: "Free speech for whom?"

This op/ed puts the Middlebury PC debate in conversation with national narratives about PC and a reactionary speech by President Bush. It also describes an SGA meeting on April 28, during which straight white men voiced protests to the new sexual harassment policy. Cornwall directs "Mr. Bush" and "Mr. Defensive Heterosexual" to attempt to understand what real threats/discrimination looks like before they claim victim status. He then lays out three examples in which an LGBTQ+ student or professor might be silenced due to their identity. Finally, Cornwall addresses the cherry-picking of Christianity involved in homophobia, and emphasizes that it is minority groups who actually experience offensive speech and silencing. Here is the article from The Campus' archives, as well as photos of the article as it was originally printed.

Richard Cornwall (Economics Professor)

May 9, 1991