Elite, all-female school wants to restrict free speech so they don’t hear opposing ideas

Even though it touts itself as an institution of higher learning that believes free speech “is essential to a liberal arts education,” some students at the all-female Wellesley College in Massachusetts wants to stop inviting speakers that hold different political beliefs, that is, those of the conservative or libertarian persuasion.

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) received a copy of an e-mail from the school’s Commission for Ethnicity, Race, and Equity (CERE) which is concerned that ideas contrary to their own might trample the sensibilities of students and staff. The Blaze printed parts of the letter:

There is no doubt that the speakers in question impose on the liberty of students, staff, and faculty at Wellesley. We are especially concerned with the impact of speakers’ presentations on Wellesley students, who often feel the injury most acutely and invest time and energy in rebutting the speakers’ arguments. Students object in order to affirm their humanity. This work is not optional; students feel they would be unable to carry out their responsibilities as students without standing up for themselves.

What is especially disturbing about this pattern of harm is that in many cases, the damage could have been avoided. The speakers who appeared on campus presented ideas that they had published, and those who hosted the speakers could certainly anticipate that these ideas would be painful to significant portions of the Wellesley community.

Did you catch that? The new fascists want to restrict free speech to avoid hurt feelings. But that’s not all. CERE also came up with three qualifications before inviting someone to speak on campus:

“First, those who invite speakers to campus should consider whether, in their zeal for promoting debate, they might, in fact, stifle productive debate by enabling the bullying of disempowered groups. …

“Second, standards of respect and rigor must remain paramount when considering whether a speaker is actually qualified for the platform granted by an invitation to Wellesley. …

“Third, faculty and administrators should step up in defense of themselves and all members of the Wellesley community. The responsibility to defend the disempowered does not rest solely with students, and the injuries suffered by students, faculty, and staff are not contained within the specific identity group in question; they ripple throughout our community and prevent Wellesley from living out its mission.”

And you, ladies, can live in this liberal dystopia for the low, low price of $45,000 per year, just like Hillary Rodham Clinton (middle of picture, in glasses, above) did in the late ’60s. Any takers?