TO THE EDITOR:
Friday, students in Carolina Students for Life chalked the message “#prebornlivesmatter” on the campus sidewalk. In response, Students for Reproductive Justice erased the message.
The Daily Tar Heel reported on the stirred drama between Carolina Students for Life and Students for Reproductive Justice. While the act of erasing/writing chalk on a sidewalk is rather trivial, a representative from Students United for Reproductive Justice justified the actions by making claims that the words were “really triggering and not safe for folks to read” — which is more concerning.
This new trend of suppressing debate and labeling anything that is uncomfortable as “unsafe” is not only unproductive but entirely illiberal. Much of the progress and expansion of rights in America has been entirely linked to vigorous debate and conflicting opinions. Where would we be today if debate did not occur during segregation? Where would we be if the country just decided that a lack of women’s suffrage was an unimpeachable policy?
So I make a call for not just SURJ, but for all students: continue to debate. Do not walk around with the arrogance of moral superiority. Do not censor others’ opinions. Listen to others, present your arguments, and a truth will emerge.
Chris Stephens
Junior
Political science
