power of definition in ACU
Safer space group in ACU wants to make their way the only way.
POWER OF DEFINITION IN ACU.
Recently at an Alarmnight in ACU, a subversive political night, I got this flyer about safer space policy and my alarmbells went off.
The safer space people “try their best to be free of all the oppresive shit that runs rampant in the world”. They try to achieve this by imposing so many rules on what you can and cannot do that in my opinion they have reached the exact opposite. By measuring every word against a political correctness scale that might have started out of goodwill and concern they go entirely over the top. You cannot even use the word dog but must use the term nonhuman animal. By not using their exact terms or pronouns you can be called a perpetrator and you are out the door. Saying see you guys when you leave becomes a grave matter of disrespect.
By saying they use consent as a guideline they try to achieve credibility. The problem however is that they reached this consent definition without my or other peoples consent which therefor makes it no consent at all.
The safer space people themselves agreed on guidelines and actionplans, not me, not anybody else and, I think, not ACU.
Saying their definition of consent is too rigid and dogmatic earns you a one-way ticket out the frontdoor without any discussion.
It is true there still is sexism and racism in the “leftwing movement”and nobody should stand for that but the safer space policy is not the only way to solve things, if it solves anything.
Usually when there is a safer space policy at a political event this policy is more talked about than the political event itself. The very defined rules become all important and with or without your own consent you must behave by these rules if you don’t want to be accused of being a racist, sexist or fascist.
I for one feel unsafe in these safer conditions because you can be accused of anything by anybody without any conversation or discussion.
Safer space people might point out that I can learn about their ideas and guidelines to avoid mistakes.
I don’t want to learn how to become a part of this group of people.
They should also learn about my opinions and discuss them with me so there can actually be consent. Sadly, safer space policy does not allow for discussions. It’s their rules or no rules so how is that for being free of all the oppressive shit that runs rampant in the world. Just replace one for the other.
Frustrating political events by going on and on about safer spaces even if this group is a tiny minority is happening more and more all over Europe and the United States.
Assuming their moral worth over anybody elses whilst not engaging in discussions is not helping at all. They are right, everybody else is supposedly racist, sexist or fascist.
Or can it be that they are too insecure to involve in discussions.
People defending this safer space policy by saying there are a lot of good things in it are missing the point. You cannot defend a dogmatic policy that excludes people by saying they battle sexism and that is good.
Bad policy is bad policy.
Even national socialism had some good things.
I think as a person that has been coming to ACU for a long time and hopes to keep on coming ACU should take a stand in this before people start to think it is ACU policy.
Having a small group of people determine with posters and flyers that ACU accepts the safer space policy is to me a very bad signal. I hope it is lazyness instead of acceptance but something must be done before it’s too late.
ACU got rid of the ridiculous pink sign with all the –isms written on it which was a step in the right direction. Next step could be kicking out these self-righteous dogmatics, ACU can be the glorious survivor.
As for the accusations on internet about ACU being racist and sexist, I for one think I know where they came from and how seriously I should take them.
I wish ACU every succes.
And people, look out if there are kids or nonhuman animals, alligators can be a bitch.