I am a proud FLC alumna. I am forever grateful for the liberal arts education that enabled me to be open-minded and respectfully listen to opinions I vehemently disagree with. College was a season of inclusion, particularly due to the RSOs that honed my leadership skills and exposed me to a variety of viewpoints.
The new Turning Point USA chapter disheartens me. Yes, there needs to be political diversity on campus, and the liberal arts must foster freedom of speech. However, there is a fine line between constructive debate and intimidation.
Turning Point USA’s tactics continue to fall into the latter category. One of their main activities is a “Professor Watchlist” that has made educators across the country unsafe and limits students’ ability to evaluate those academics’ viewpoints.
The students could have created an RSO called “Republicans at FLC” to give voice to conservative viewpoints. Instead, they linked themselves with an organization that escalates discord. No one feels safe to speak or can listen when emotions are running high, regardless of ideology.
Hopefully, this is a wake-up call for everyone to turn the temperature down, because alums do not want our alma mater or current students still processing their worldviews to be subjected to violence – because violence is the ultimate terminator of the First Amendment.
Katey Redmond, FLC Class of 2014
Anchorage, AK
