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Lost in the Labor Day weekend news about North Korea and DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) was a dismaying new poll released by VCU. It showed how much the campaign against fundamental liberties has made inroads among the general public.

Conducted by the Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, the poll shows that half of Virginians think colleges and universities should place more emphasis on protecting people from discrimination, even if that infringes on the right to free expression. Only 40 percent thought colleges and universities should guarantee freedom of expression even if that means some groups face discrimination.

Discrimination is wrong. Its also illegal. But the legal prohibitions apply to discriminatory actions, such as turning down a job applicant because of her race. Laws against discrimination dont infringe on the right to free speech (except possibly in those cases where the speech is so abusive and persistent that it creates a hostile work environment).

The kind of discrimination at issue in higher education more often concerns the expression of viewpoints that deviate from liberal orthodoxy on questions of race and gender, or being subject to microagressions such as when an Asian student is asked where shes from, or not receiving sufficient praise (were not making that up).

Those forms of discrimination might be obnoxious, but they do not trump fundamental constitutional rights and it is disturbing that so many Virginians think they should.

Ironically, many colleges and universities practice overt discrimination today. For instance, they do so in admissions: Asian students must score far higher on standardized tests to have the same chance of gaining acceptance as black or Hispanic students. Many schools also offer race-based housing for affinity groups i.e., people of the same ethnic background.

Colleges and universities should dismantle those very real forms of discrimination instead of policing what students and faculty say and think.

Read more:
Editorial: Too many Virginians want a safe space for censorship - Richmond.com