At Northwestern University over the weekend, a few students tried to organize a party with a “Spirit Animals” theme: “Come celebrate spring quarter with NBN this Saturday at our annual spring party! Theme: Spirit Animals. Everyone has a kindred spirit animal , so come sport your cat ears, wings, and unicorn horns with us.”
But, wouldn’t you know it, someone got offended.
Someone posted a complaint on the group’s Facebook page:
“Ack, please don’t make this the theme. It’s culturally appropriative and could cause some trouble.”
Immediately, the group caved and cancelled the “spirit animal” theme. That’s the kind of almighty instantaneous power that the ultra-PC crowd holds on college campuses.
And just in case you’re wondering what “culturally appropriative” means in the first place–it means, basically, that it’s not politically correct for white kids to “appropriate” the images, ideas, words, or themes of a favored minority group–in this case, presumably, Native Americans. Not even for an innocent and celebratory purpose.
That’s what happens when political correctness takes hold.
Our campuses today are overrun by PC-police who tell others what the can and cannot say, do, or think. “Cultural sensitivity” becomes a big bludgeon to squash the free speech rights of others, and to turn innocent, insignificant ideas into thought crimes.
Nathan Harden is editor of The College Fix and author of SEX & GOD AT YALE: Porn, Political Correctness, and a Good Education Gone Bad.
Follow Nathan on Facebook / Twitter:@NathanHarden
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