The University of Nebraska–Lincoln has started a “Think Before You Speak Inclusive Language” crusade which instructs students to stop using the words “rape” and “crazy” — by using T-shirts and big posters emblazoned with the words “rape” and “crazy.”
The University Housing division of the taxpayer-funded school launched the politically-correct campaign in late October, reports The College Fix.
“Saying ‘rape’ out of context ignores the reality of sexual assault—and that can have an isolating impact on a survivor of sexual assault,” U. Nebraska assistant director of residence life Melissa Peters told the Fix in an email.
Similarly, using the word “crazy” out of context could make people with mental illnesses feel sad.
Thus, for example, according to officials at the public school, it is wrong to say: “Purdue’s football team raped Nebraska’s cellar-dwelling football team 55-45 on Saturday.”
Similarly, Nebraska bureaucrats are telling students, it’s unacceptable to say: “If you would have told before the season began that Nebraska’s football team would be 3-6 and a humiliated national laughingstock, people you would have called you crazy.”
Other words and phrases school officials have now deemed offensive include “man up,” which “reinforces masculine stereotypes that are unhealthy,” and “ghetto,” which “misrepresents the experiences of others and negatively stereotypes minority groups,” according to a U. Nebraska press release.
“We often hear students say things like, ‘That test raped me,’ or that something is ‘so ghetto,'” Peters, the UNL residence life administrator, told the Fix. “The vast majority of students aren’t using these words to be malicious. But, intended or not, these are words that have impact and can hurt.”
Peters insists that the “Think Before You Speak” campaign is not intended to chill free expression in any way.
“We see this campaign as purely educational,” she told the Fix.
“The main purpose of this campaign is for folks to have conversations about these words,” said Melissa Peters, assistant director of residence life for student leadership and diversity initiatives,” Peters explained in the school press release. “This is not about censorship. It’s a campaign designed to raise awareness and get people to start thinking about what they say.”
This month, student volunteers at the University of Nebraska will wear gaily-colored T-shirts instructing students about the words and phrases they are no longer supposed to say.
“Rape” will get an orange shirt. “Crazy” will get a green shirt. “Man up” will get a pink shirt. “Ghetto” will get a red shirt.
There’s also “retarded,” which is now a bog “taboo” because “[s]aying “Retarded” suggests disability and stupidity are interchangeable.” And, of course, there’s “no homo,” which — to whatever extent anyone says it — “devalues love and sexual identities.”
“Retarded” and “no homo” get blue and purple shirts, respectively, according to U. Nebraska officials.
Next semester, officials at the flagship public school plan to launch a poster campaign that will emblazon the words school officials don’t want students to say on huge placards around campus.
Around the nation, officials at public colleges and universities are attempting to stamp out language they don’t like. (RELATED: University Of Colorado Combats ‘Bias’ With Huge Student Surveillance Scheme)
This summer, the University of New Hampshire’s Bias-Free Language Guide was unearthed. The now-disappeared guide identified the word “American” as a “problematic” term which should not be used. Other “problematic” words on the public school’s lengthy list included “mothering,” “poor” and “senior citizen.” (RELATED: Public University’s Bias-Free Language Guide Calls The Word ‘American’ ‘PROBLEMATIC’)
Also this summer, the entire University of California system under current-president Janet Napolitano trained faculty to avoid phrases which administrators claim are offensive including the description of America as a “land of opportunity.” Other offensive phrases in the taxpayer-funded school system include, “I believe the most qualified person should get the job” and “affirmative action is racist.” (RELATED: California Trains Professors To Avoid ‘Microaggressions’)
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