Wendy McElroy has written an article called Campus Conscience Police? about the rights of students to "judge right and wrong for themselves" as opposed to being subject to politically correct speech codes and policies.
Whether on campus or not, I believe it is a citizen's right to have and discuss ideas that may be unpopular or offensive to those around him; this is a core American value. (Of course, those around him also have the right to reject his ideas and/or walk away.) Political correctness has leaked into and tainted public discussion in such a way that undermines an individuals ability to form opinions.
"The cost to society is high; creativity and intellectual progress wither. The cost to individuals is higher; without competing ideas, people cannot adequately judge for themselves what is true and false, right or wrong, moral and immoral."
When certain words or ideas become taboo, a person is hindered from getting all the necessary information to form an educated opinion.
Ms. McElroy cites a number of examples that this trend towards political correctness on campuses is changing. This is good news!
"The right to judge for yourself what is true and false, what is right and wrong is a prerequisite for both freedom of speech and freedom of religion.
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