The Prevention, Advocacy and Resource Center (PARC) website at Brandeis University reads like a parody.
PARC compiled a list of words it deemed too offensive to utter, which includes "rule of thumb," "killing it," "freshman" and, somewhat ironically, "trigger warning." The list is making the rounds on social media, eliciting general mockery from the political Right. And these social justice warriors deserve to be mocked: Their list is ridiculous.
But conservatives, moderates and anyone interested in an open and honest exchange of ideas shouldn't dismiss PARC as merely a joke. This level of word-policing is quite dangerous.
The "student-centered" resource plays into absolutely every stereotype you might have about hypersensitive, self-preening progressives who are offended by everything but claim to be brave enough to fight for the marginalized. They see the world through a social justice lens, focusing on the tenets of critical race theory and intersectionality.
PARC staffers compiled a list of examples of supposedly "violent language." All examples are ridiculous; a few are even condemned based on outright erroneous claims.
Progressive activists believe words are violence (when they're not claiming silence is violence). Everything they do not like is considered violence, including the "oppressive" phrase, "killing it." Rather than adopt the understood meaning of the phrase, they argue it should be replaced because "if someone is doing well, there are other ways to say so without equating it to murder."
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