University warns students not to say ‘picnic,’ ‘rule of thumb,’ calling words ‘oppressive’

By Bernadette HoganCarl Campanile and Bruce Golding

The rule of thumb at this ultra-woke college is, don’t say “rule of thumb.”

Students and faculty at Brandeis University are being urged to stop using words and phrases like “picnic,” “trigger warning” and even “rule of thumb,” because of what a campus counseling service calls their links to violence and power to “reinforce systems of oppression.”

A compendium of “potentially oppressive language” posted on the school’s website by its Prevention, Advocacy and Resource Center also lists loads of examples of “gender exclusive,” “ableist,” and “culturally appropriative” terminology that “can get in the way of meaningful dialogue.”

The “Oppressive Language List,” first reported by Fox News, was developed recently as part of the PARC’s “Response to Anti-Blackness” program and “is always growing based on suggestions from the community,” according to a web page titled “Holding Ourselves Accountable.”

“As a community, we can strive to remove language that may hurt those who have experienced violence from our everyday use,” the PARC says.

“These recommendations for more-neutral language are brought forth by students who have been subject to violence or who have worked with others who are healing from violence, as well as students who have sought out advanced training in intervening in potentially violent situations.”

According to the Oppressive Language List, the word picnic “has been associated with lynchings of Black people in the United States, during which white spectators were said to have watched while eating.”

A suggested alternative is “outdoor eating.”

“Rule of thumb” can be replaced with “general rule” because the former “allegedly comes from an old British law allowing men to beat their wives with sticks no wider than their thumb.”

And when it comes to “trigger warning” — an alert that spoken, written or recorded material may be alarming to certain people, based on their experiences — possible alternatives include “content note.”

“The word ‘trigger’ has connections to guns for many people; we can give the same head’s up using language less connected to violence,” the PARC says…

https://nypost.com/2021/06/24/brandeis-warns-students-not-to-say-picnic-rule-of-thumb/

5 thoughts on “University warns students not to say ‘picnic,’ ‘rule of thumb,’ calling words ‘oppressive’”

  1. As a rule of thumb, if you are white it’s wise not to bring a watermelon on a picnic as it may trigger rage in others who feel they are being culturally appropriated. Better to bring a casaba melon. Oops, no not that!—larger-breasted people who menstruate may feel unsafe. Better to stick with grapes but only if they are not white grapes.

  2. The following is true:

    There is a commercial running on The Golf Channel for a drug called Descovy. The drug is said to be for adults and adolescents “not assigned female at birth”. It’s touted as “Descovy for prep”. To prevent transmission of HIV from sodomy.

    We are descending into hell on earth.

    Come Lord Jesus!

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