Political discourse in this country and in many western countries has rapidly declined into what could be described as comedic if it were not so frightening.
While political correctness does have some value and its place, it has been rapidly evolving into the same type of intolerance it was originally meant to combat.
Safe spaces, trigger warnings and other similar buzz words, which might have started out as ways to protect the vulnerable have transformed into some fantastical perception that we have a right to not be offended.
Case in point, a Mount Royal University student recently made headlines when she confronted a fellow student about a hat he was wearing emblazoned with American presidential candidate Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” tagline.
She was outraged by this political statement and confronted the student to share her own political views and distaste for his fashion statement.
Had the interaction ended there, all would have been fine. We would have seen two people debating their political views and then moving on with their lives, as should be expected in a civilized society. (Notice the use of the word “interaction” above, her characterization of the situation as an altercation is another way people have abused and twisted language these days to further inflame situations to fit their agenda.)
Unfortunately, it did not end there. Instead, she insisted the other student remove his hat or she would go straight to the top of the university’s administration to seek sanctions.
We are returning to the time when people are being threatened for their political, religious and personal beliefs. Those threats are materializing in human rights tribunals, school expulsions, civil litigation, harassment and even violence.
People will never agree on everything. Philosophical, political and ideological differences will always exist and at times those differences will be visceral. But there are differences on both sides and both sides have equal right to their opinions.
While that level of understanding should not need to be enshrined in constitutional law, it is. That means if you are unable to respect that tenet, then you are ostensibly sacrificing your right to the same protection.
Unless people are inciting violence or promoting hate – whether Trump is doing that in his campaign is a topic that should be addressed in intelligent and civil debate – they have a right to their opinions and beliefs.
There is a campaign from certain segments of society to silence those they disagree with and it is breeding an almost violent level of intolerance. Ironically, it is creating the same type of intolerance many fought to free themselves from to begin with.
It also creating a generation of weak constitutions, where a hat making a political statement is enough to make a person feel unsafe.
If that is all it takes, it might be time to lock yourself away from the rest of the world, because it is a big and scary place filled with an infinite number of opinions.
