I went to university way before the phrase "Safe Space" entered the collegiate lexicon. But not before the big subjects of race and the nascent beginnings of gay rights. We simply did not have ready intellectual slots to fit them into.

My University elected to make available to the ethnically identifiable the option of living in dormitories where they could be concentrated (Yes, the term 'concentration dorm' was used). My best friend was Chinese, and placed in the Asian Dorm. The Black Dorm was placed in one of the largest physical structures, a capacity far greater than the number of black students, and I was turfed into it as 'white filler'. If memory serves I was offered the opportunity opt out. I did not opt out, and spent two years there in the late 70s. There was of course a Hispanic Dorm, relocating from the one I moved into. I'll never forget the lesson in determining whether a racial insult needed to be responded to with force: "If they say 'xxxxxxx' and they're smiling, I smile back, but if they ain't smiling, I've gotta DO something about it!" one latino told me.*

This was in California which had a Black Panther component and a Black Nations of Islam component, as well as La Raza. NOI had a big bakery in Oakland and you could purchase their products on campus.

So I am mainly bemused by such entities as "Black Lives Matter", as I have seen, heard, and talked about a lot of these issues way, way before now. Did we just sleep through the Reagan Bush eras? Of course not, but the 'darkening' of the United States was seen decades ago. You could tell by the commercials on American TV and the rise of Bill Cosby (sigh).

Christian and Communist proselytizers come through the dorms not regularly, but the campus was pretty open.

There were Muslims of course, but Muslims aren't a race. And Islam is one of the three Abrahamic religions so I don't recall any issues other than Israel with Palestinians. Turks, Pakistanis, Iranians (pre-Ayatollah) were there but were pretty non-controversial.

I guess I might've used the term 'safe space' in one sense. An Israeli guy and an Egyptian girl hooking up because they could.

The main lesson was that no matter the size religion or color of the humanity, every single one of 'em had an individual personality and at least in my experience, didn't want to be considered part of a monolith.

And most of them, were, at some level, nuts. Like I said, the human condition.




*Reference The Virginian "When you call me that, smile!"