In the past week, a political discussion within a private online forum escalated due to rhetorical phrasing that referenced offensive language as part of a broader critique of racism.
We acknowledge that even contextual references to charged terms can cause harm, particularly in digital environments where tone and nuance collapse into screenshots.
At the same time, we believe it is important to distinguish between:
- Direct hate speech
- Referencing language in order to critique or illustrate escalation
Political discourse is increasingly vulnerable to selective framing. When dialogue becomes adversarial, isolated lines can overshadow full context.
We support accountability.
We also support clarity.
We encourage institutions to evaluate complete exchanges rather than fragments, and to prioritize education over reaction.
