Article Summary:
An insightful observation from the Washington Post Editorial Board: The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression’s recent campus survey reveals a troubling trend: nearly half of undergraduate students believe that “words can be violence,” highlighting a growing challenge in academic discourse. This perspective has been developing for years, creating an environment that discourages difficult conversations and promotes cancelation of controversial viewpoints.
The survey’s findings are particularly poignant in light of recent events, such as the Hamas attacks and the tragic death of Charlie Kirk, which underscored the critical difference between speech and action. Kirk had consistently warned that suppressing dialogue can lead to violence and urged people to avoid seeing opposing views as inherently evil.
University administrators face the significant challenge of promoting open dialogue and protecting diverse perspectives. This requires a commitment to:
1. Normalizing difficult conversations
2. Maintaining viewpoint neutrality when approving campus speakers
3. Providing necessary security for controversial events
The problem extends to students across the political spectrum. Conservative students report feeling particularly uncomfortable expressing their views, while some progressives have demonstrated inconsistent standards in supporting free speech.
The core issue is a growing tendency to equate disagreeable ideas with actual violence, which can paradoxically justify violent responses. Universities must teach students that intellectual disagreement is not inherently threatening and that robust, respectful dialogue is essential to academic and democratic processes.
The goal should be creating an environment where diverse perspectives can be shared without fear, where students learn to engage with different ideas critically and compassionately, and where free expression is protected and valued.