courses on civil discourse

As opinionated as I am, I hate arguments.  However, I definitely see their value.  Without disagreeing in a heated way, you don't really the other side of your viewpoint with all the passion that's involved in it.  You may be really passionate about whatever it is that you feel is right and therefore, the other side may look ridiculous and muted.  However, once you see someone really amped up about their point, it gives them a little more legitimacy and it can also fire you up more about your side.

Today, during both of my classes, there was arguments, each sanctioned by the professors although only one was planned.  In my policy class, we were assigned to debate whether or not the profession of social work discriminates against Evangelical Christians.  We were chosen at random to be on one side of the debate or the other but everyone did a rock solid job of arguing their point.

In my culture class, we began talking about assimilationism and America's 'you're either with us or against us' attitude and one of my classmates began to doubt white privilege based upon her recent experience of being a minority in Belize.  Another classmate got real upset and the teacher intervened at a spectacular level, making sure everyone knew that their emotions were valid and that she wanted us to get all worked up and honest.  Yeah!  One of my other classmates did end up crying because of the shit she's had to face in her life.  My teacher was sympathetic and said, "There's two ways I release tension from my body, by crying and farting and I'm not going to give up either one."  I love that we don't have to be muted in our yelling, laughter or tears.  I love college.