Editorial
Letter to the editor, February 23
By Jake Blount ‘17
February 23, 2017
Tags letter to the editor
Dear Editor,
I am writing in response to “Treatment of Conservatives at Hamilton College,” published in Volume 4, Issue 19 of The Enquiry and written by Elizabeth Barry ’17.
This article lodges a number of complaints regarding the alleged mistreatment of conservatives at Hamilton College. While its intent is noble and the incidents detailed within are certainly worthy of discussion, Barry’s claim that Hamilton College is institutionally biased against conservatives is utterly spurious. Her demand that outspoken leftists face institutional and social repercussions is downright dangerous.
First, I must address the false equivalence Barry establishes between dislike for a belief system (and, by extension, its adherents) and discrimination against individuals based on unalienable traits. My multiracial heritage and my queerness were not choices, and they say nothing about who I am as a person. Conservatism is a choice, and one made based on personal values and beliefs. I absolutely reserve the right to dislike anybody who voluntarily aligns themselves with a political movement that seeks to deprive me of justice and human rights. I defy Barry or anybody else to tell me why I shouldn’t.
Second, I must address the article’s ludicrously broad definition of “harassment.” There are certainly examples of legitimate harassment listed in the article: alleged threatening messages to prior Enquiry editors and drawn-out harangues on Martin’s Way. Contrary to Barry’s claim, Hamilton College does not in any way condone this behavior. The College’s Code of Student Conduct specifically prohibits both threats and verbal abuse. She is free to commence the disciplinary process at a time of her choosing; the only things required of her would be time and evidence. However, Barry also considers classroom arguments, letters requesting changes in her editorial practices, and emails from professors who disagree with her to be “harassment.” By that standard, left-leaning community members cannot challenge campus conservatives in person, in print or online without violating the Code of Conduct. No morally and institutionally permissible channel exists through which we can express disagreement.
Disagreement is often characterized as the price of free speech. That characterization is misleading: it is not the price, but the purpose. Hamilton College is, first and foremost, an educational institution. Its duty, and our duty as community members, is to challenge all beliefs on both intellectual and ethical levels. We are not supposed to legitimize all viewpoints regardless of their logical and moral legitimacy, and we certainly should not establish doing so as the institutional and social norm. I invite any and all community members who disagree to challenge my beliefs openly, and give me the opportunity to defend them.
Sincerely,
Jake Blount ‘17