Posted on 07/19/2019 9:05:17 AM PDT by Kaslin
Colorado State University has included the words “American” and “America” on its list of language to avoid because they are not inclusive.
The school’s Inclusive Communications Task Force compiled a list of words in its Inclusive Language Guide that serve to help those on campus foster “inclusion, respect, and social justice.”
The guide states that it is not about being politically correct but instead is there to help “communicators practice inclusive language” and make everyone on campus “feel welcomed, respected, and valued.”
CSU lists both “American” and “America” as non-inclusive words "to avoid," due to the fact that America encompasses more than just the U.S. By referring to the U.S. as America, the guide claims that one “erases other cultures and depicts the United States as the dominant American country.” The school suggests using “U.S. citizen” or “person from the U.S.” as substitutes. (Campus Reform)
Among other words on the list are normal person, straight, gendered words, hip hip hooray, hold down the fort, war, starving, etc.
The guide does note, however, that the recommendations are not official policy.
"[E]ven though these guidelines are suggested and not mandatory, they place students in the uncomfortable position of reciting politically correct talking points that they may not agree with,” Nicole Neily, president of Speech First, told Campus Reform. “Words like 'American,' 'male,' and 'female' are used every day by billions of people around the world. When these students graduate, they're in for a rude awakening!"
The guide represents a growing trend in some parts of the country. As Tim reported Thursday, the city of Berkeley unanimously voted to change all official city documents so there are no gendered words.
How un-American.
About 12 years ago, The Rocky Mountain Collegian published a full page with just two words on it: “Fuck Bush”. Haven’t had a thing to do with them since then, and I let them know why whenever I get calls from them regarding alumni activities. (CSU, E.E., class of ‘85).
I found this editorial on the Collegian website dated Nov 4, 2018. In the editorial the writer has a link to “an entire packet of words”. That link took me to the pdf that other news reports have linked. Thus it appears CSU has had ample time to disavow Zahra Al-Saloom, the director of Diversity and Inclusion at Associated Students of Colorado State University and have chosen not to do so.
In a meeting with Zahra Al-Saloom, the director of Diversity and Inclusion at Associated Students of Colorado State University, she showed me an entire packet of words and phrases that were deemed non-inclusive.
https://collegian.com/2018/11/leibee-csu-has-gone-too-far-with-inclusive-language/
Leibee: CSU has gone too far with inclusive language
By
Katrina Leibee
-
November 4, 2018
Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.
If you’re a freshman this year amidst the hustle and bustle of starting college, moving in and figuring out your new routine and lifestyle, orientation leaders at Colorado State University introduced you to an important aspect of CSU’s culture: inclusive language.
Inclusive language includes every identity, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, etc. During orientation, we were introduced to gender pronouns such as “they/them/theirs.” This is something to be excited about, and most of us actively respect people’s gender pronouns, but as the semester continues, it has become obvious that inclusive language extends way beyond gender pronouns.
It is great for students to try to use inclusive language, but it has become an expectation of students. This expectation might not be entirely fair. We have been asked to get rid of the language we have been using for as long as we have known the English language.
We were told that the popular term “you guys” was not inclusive of all genders, and we should instead replace it with “y’all.” We were told to use the term “first-year” instead of “freshman,” because “freshman” is not inclusive of all genders.
After getting involved in residential leadership, I was told not to use the word “dorms,” and replace it with “residence halls.” Apparently, dorm refers to only a place where one sleeps, and residence hall refers to a place where we sleep, eat, study and participate in social activities.
A countless amount of words and phrases have been marked with a big, red X and defined as non-inclusive. It has gotten to the point where students should carry around a dictionary of words they cannot say.
In a meeting with Zahra Al-Saloom, the director of Diversity and Inclusion at Associated Students of Colorado State University, she showed me an entire packet of words and phrases that were deemed non-inclusive. One of these phrases was “long time, no see,” which is viewed as derogatory towards those of Asian descent.
Al-Saloom believes inclusive language is important at CSU.
“(It) incorporates identities without the binary,” Al-Saloom said. She does not believe it is okay to say “you guys,” but expressed a willingness to educate. “I’m not gonna try and change them, but educate them.”
We have been asked to phase out phrases from our language that we hear every day outside of this campus. However, we were never asked if we felt these terms were not inclusive, we were told.
“As a woman, I feel excluded when the term ‘you guys’ is used,” said Lauren Rodgers, the Director of Residential Development for Residence Hall Association, an organization on campus that strongly emphasizes inclusive language.
A question I would pose to all women on this campus is, do you actually feel excluded by the term “you guys,” or were you told that “you guys” excludes you?
The Department of Education released an inclusive language guide in 2012, and while it contains gender inclusive terms, the one term it does not mention is “you guys.”
I asked both Al-Saloom and Rodgers the question: If this sort of language is not censored outside of this campus, why should we censor it here? Rodgers responded, “Even if the world isn’t good, you should be good.” Al-Saloom responded that, “CSU abides by the principles of community, and we want to make it an inclusive space.”
“Even if the world isn’t good, you should be good”- Lauren Rodgers, Director of Residential Development
While this is all good and well, eventually we will all have to leave the inclusive, non-offensive bubble that we are living in at this school and step into a cruel world that doesn’t care about any of this language we have just spent 4 years adapting to.
Inclusive language should not be taught at CSU, instead, each individual student should get to decide whether this is something they want to change, without anyone correcting them.
We should all consider the possibility that these words were not a problem until we made them a problem. These phrases were not exclusive until we decided they were. Ultimately, the word “freshman” is never going to go away just because CSU has decided it should.
Katrina Leibee can be reached at letters@collegian.com or Twitter @KatrinaLeibee
Exactly
From now on African-Americans are just a bunch of blacks and Native-Americans are just a bunch of indians.
This is just pure Newspeak like Orwell described it. All radical, authoritarian leftist societies eventually get around to rewriting their language for political purposes.
Of course, even the members of the 13 original colonies of what was then called British America often referred to themselves as American. This is just an attempt to rewrite English to make it conform to the standards found in Spanish and to wash away our history.
Close down CSU.
Federal Reserve Note
United States of __________
Yeah; I can just see all them scholars out there in the Rockies throwing away these scraps of paper...
Some men/women did.
What are their names?
Obviously the clue “UNITED States of America” passed them by like a freight train.
No;
From now on African-Americans are just a bunch of Africans and Native-Americans are just a bunch of Natives.
 'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone, ' it means just what I choose it to mean, neither more nor less.'
'The question is,' said Alice, 'whether you can make words mean so many different things.' 'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master - that's all.' |
List of countries in North America
I assume and hope you get what I mean
The CSU staff can go straight to hell.
Hear hear!!!!!!!!
I’d suggest Colorado State STFU....
That must mean csu employees are not to
Be paid in filthy American dollars
How about Cash from Venezuala?, they are
Giving it away and their “thinking “ is
Certain to be in line with the admins of csu.
Nicaragua is located in Central...
While the rest of the the world is adopting English, America is busy wrecking our language.
What a CROCK! "Hao jiu bu jian" ("long time, no see) is a standard greeting in ALL Chinese-speaking countries. Incidentally, the Chinese-language term for "America" is "Mei Guo," which means "Beautiful Country." Even the Chinese Communists refer to "America" as "Mei Guo." CSU is to the left of Communist China.
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