Editorial: Sensitivity to ideas has led to societal ills

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, March 8, 2005

The embattled president of the the University of Colorado resigned from her position yesterday. While we don’t disagree she did the right thing for the good of the university, we disagree with calls for the resignation of the

professor who likened Sept

11 victims and families to Hilter.

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His comments were insensitive and crude, but in this country we protect speech, no matter how aborhent.

What we fear more is censorship of ideas. Colleges and universities have long offered varying veiwpoints on a host of controversiall topics and we’d hate to see that public discourse squelched.

We have become a society easily offended by different opinions, quick to holler about political correctness and ask Congress to legislate that which offends.

What this means in the long run is we become close-minded, and shift blame. Sometimes, the responsible thing to do is call a spade a spade, accept the blame and move on.

Having become overly sensitive, however, we avoid holding ourselves accountable and it is creating all manner of societal ills.

Another problem with all this politcal correctness is we forget to laugh at ourselves, which can help heal that which might be painful.

We should lighten up a bit and let others express their opinions, recognizing it doesn’t have to be our opinion.