Trigger Warning: This article is about trigger warnings.

At Baylor University, a cautionary label was placed on a September 11th display. The warning was for 2,977 flags which constitute, as it turns out, “sensitive content.”

So reported the school’s chapter of Young Conservatives of Texas.

As per a press release, the YCT creates the same display every year:

For several years, the Young Conservatives of Texas at Baylor have carried the tradition of setting up a 9/11 memorial on Baylor’s campus. 2,977 American flags line Fountain Mall every year to honor the victims and first responders who lost their lives during the tragic terror attacks against the United States. The memorial traditionally only includes flags and no signage or political messaging. Every year we do our best to ensure that this event is about America not politics.

But apparently, it’s too much for some to take. For a generation taught that words are violence, what are images?

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the strength of those who’ll be deciding your future:

Displaying the American Flag to memorialize those who tragically perished in the 9/11 attacks is now considered “Sensitive Content”. Honoring those who died and first responders isn’t “Sensitive”, it’s “American”. pic.twitter.com/0DHmY7h2sJ

— Baylor YCT (@BaylorYCT) September 11, 2020

In a subsequent tweet, YCT explained, “This isn’t about politics. This was not a political event. In our event application, we actually opted to not have a sign attributing the display to us in order to be apolitical. However, Student Activities put the sign out attributing the display to us + the trigger warnings.”

“This isn’t about politics. This was not a political event. In our event application, we actually opted to not have a sign attributing the display to us in order to be apolitical. However, Student Activities put the sign out attributing the display to us + the trigger warnings.”

— Baylor YCT (@BaylorYCT) September 11, 2020

And:

“@YCY stands for ‘Principles over Party.’ We went through every effort to make this display apolitical because this isn’t about ‘Party’ or ”Politics,’ it’s about the foundational American identity we all share. That shouldn’t be a ‘Sensitive’ issue.”

@yct stands for “Principles over Party”. We went through every effort to make this display apolitical because this isn’t about “Party” or “Politics”, it’s about the foundational American identity we all share. That shouldn’t be a “Sensitive” issue.

— Baylor YCT (@BaylorYCT) September 11, 2020

Just a few generations ago, teenagers drew guns while facing barrels and ran toward the bullets — all because (Trigger Warning) bombs had been dropped on the United States. Americans had died on December 7th 1941 — just as they did on September 11th, 2001. And young men and women took it upon themselves to defend the country in light of the terror they’d seen and heard.

These days, awareness seems something to be avoided. And if the mere representation of tragedy is too much to take, who will defend us when the next earth-shattering one occurs?

As for now, America is being attacked from within.

And evident in that assault, it seems to me, is a deteriorated understanding of the high stakes.

Here they are: Life and Death. Liberty and Freedom. Love.

Those go hand in hand, and in times past, the rest were worth the first two.

May we get back to what matters most, and may we remember those who mattered and were lost: on September 11th and any day when somebody worth saving — and fighting for — left too soon.

Nineteen years ago today, thousands were snuffed out at once. They didn’t get a warning — trigger or otherwise.

And on a university campus, in my opinion, a stars-and-stripes memorial to them shouldn’t require one.

See the entirety of YCT’s statement below.

For several years, the Young Conservatives of Texas at Baylor have carried the tradition of setting up a 9/11 memorial on Baylor’s campus. 2,977 American flags line Fountain Mall every year to honor the victims and first responders who lost their lives during the tragic terror attacks against the United States. The memorial traditionally only includes flags and no signage or political messaging. Every year we do our best to ensure that this event is about America not politics.

Upon our initial request to place the memorial this year, we made it clear to Baylor Student Activities that this was not a political event. Less than 24 hours before the event, Baylor Student Activities informed us they would need to place “expression activity” signs near the flags.

Baylor Student Activities placed a sign that read; “Please be advised: sensitive content.” These signs amount to nothing short of a trigger warning for an event that should unite all Americans.

As Baylor students, this is incredibly saddening for us to see. 9/11 is a day that we can forget our political identities and come together to remember those who died and celebrate the triumph of our nation over evil. We ask that the University formally apologize to the Baylor community for displaying the signs at our memorial in order to assert their commitment to the victims of 9/11.

-ALEX

See more pieces from me:

September 11th: Remembering Not Only Tragedy, but Something Greater

Woman Is Told She Can’t Vote Because of Her Shirt, So She Takes It Off

Woman Tries to Frame Ex-Boyfriend by Supergluing Her Vagina, Accidentally Goes to Prison Instead

Find all my RedState work here.

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