We have all heard of Bigfoot, Yeti, the Loch Ness Monster. But last night, I and a friend went on the hunt for the even more elusive Conservative on the campus of Syracuse University.
I’m sure you all know Syracuse University. It is the home of the SU Orangemen, the Carrier Dome, as well as the alma mater of Megyn Kelly from Fox News.
Did you also know that in 2012, SU ranked #2 among the “12 Worst Colleges for Free Speech?”
More than “best party school,” this is a ranking that today’s universities battle tooth and nail to win.
Syracuse University: putting the LIBERAL in Liberal Arts.
Even so, within those acid waters, could the elusive Conservative swim?
Last night, I attended a forum with Mike Huckabee sponsored by The SU College Republicans. I fully expected to be sitting in an auditorium with two or three young people wearing hoodies, sunglasses and bullet-proof vests surrounded by protesters demanding that Mike Huckabee STFU. I mean, after all, this is SU the second worst college for free speech. This is SU where, if you removed all the Obama bumper stickers from all the cars on campus and laid them end to end, they would span the globe.
I told my friend when we looked around at the packed auditorium from our vantage point in the front (my friend is a GOP Groupie. It wasn’t even an issue whether we would be sitting way down close), “If anybody yells, ‘Mic Check!’ I am so taking them down!”
I was stunned. I was grateful to be wrong.
Yes, there were a handful of liberals in the mix. But they were respectful and allowed Mike Huckabee to speak without shouting over him. Nobody rushed up on stage and tried to hit him in the face with a pie. But to be fair, that may be reserved for Ann Coulter.
Naturally, during the Q & A, there were a couple dishrags who argued for free healthcare like they have in Sweden and asked the obligatory, “If you believe all men are created equal, why are you opposed to gay marriage?!” question. But, by an overwhelmingly large margin, the room was filled with Conservatives.
I felt like I was up to my eyeballs in Loch Ness Monsters.
After the event ended, while I waited for my GOP Groupie friend to go meet Huckabee and shake his hand, I struck up a conversation with one of the young women from the College Republicans.
Okay, on a side note. Yes, my friend is a GOP Groupie. She’s 22 and on fire for Conservatism. As someone nearly 30 years older, I love to see that kind of enthusiasm and passion in someone so young. She gives me hope in our future and the future of Conservatism. Besides, her absolute “Deadhead” dedication to meeting Conservatives scored her the single best “Paul Ryan and Me” picture ever taken. The only better “Paul Ryan and Me” picture in existence is probably one of him and Janna.
Anyway, back to last night…
I spoke with one of the young women from SU’s College Republicans. In response to my genuine surprise at discovering the elusive SU Republican, she said that there at SU, they have to be doubly involved, doubly vocal, doubly visible because they are fighting on multiple fronts. Not just from fellow students who have imbibed on the Liberal Kool-aid, but from professors in every single classroom.
“You know, SU was rated one of the worse colleges for free speech,” she said to me.
Lucky for her, I am a voracious devourer of truth and did in fact know that.
“We have our work cut out for us.”
Yes, they do.
Diamonds are formed only through enormous pressure.
Gold is only purified by fire.
Conservatism thrives in the face of overwhelming, hostile, hateful opposition. Look at Sarah Palin. Look at the vicious, racist attacks against Mia Love or Michelle Malkin. Despite the onslaught, the never-ending attacks, or perhaps because of them, those Conservative Warriors are overflowing with strength and determination.
These young men and women, these college conservatives, are to be respected. They hold on to their principles in an environment that not only disagrees, but actively tries to daily shut them up.
I walked away from that event impressed and humbled. Those guys are in trench warfare. We cannot let them fight this battle alone. They need air support, supply lines, body armor. I challenge all of us Conservative Warriors. Do not leave them to fight the good fight all alone. Let us fearlessly take up arms [note to Piers: that is metaphor] and join them.
U of O out here in Eugene must be a close second. A conservative out here is as rare as seeing Bigfoot…or a Prius with a Romney bumper sticker on it.
Interesting that you failed to mention the context in which the individual talking about healthcare in Sweden brought up healthcare. The individuals question was in response to Huckabee’s claim that “taxes kill the economy.” The issue was not healthcare, but rather the fact that Scandinavian nations are typically found toward the top of rankings of the world’s strongest economies, and yet have high tax rates. (World’s Strongest Economies 2012) Notice both Sweden and Finland found toward the top of this list.
Furthermore, you failed to mention the tirades of angry people screaming at the student to “move there,” for simply asking such a question.
Just because an individual holds an opinion that there are things America can be doing better and that we could even learn lessons from other nations does not mean that he or she hates this country. I would go so far to suggest that it means quite the contrary. I would say it means they love this country so much, that they want to see it live up to the founding promise of forming a more perfect union through a Constitution built of compromise and able to keep with the times through amendments.
The “move there” remark was hysterical! Thanks for reminding me about that! That was a hoot. Especially when everybody started applauding! Honestly, they say Conservatives don’t have a sense of humor. Man, that was a howler!
Just because an individual holds an opinion that is contrary to Liberals, they are shouted down, called names, drowned out by dishrags who cannot tolerate a contrary opinion bursting their teeny tiny universe.
Hey, thanks for proving my point!
Dianny recently posted…DIANNY RANTS: GOP You Better Get Your Act Together
Conservatives do thrive in the face of opposition sir, but I would hardly categorize it as hostile or hateful. I reserve those adjectives for the likes of Bill O’Reilly and Glenn Beck, who continually indoctrinate their viewers and listeners that President Obama and every liberal in the country is gradually causing the world to come to an end.
Take Sarah Palin. The media’s opposition to her was in response to the overwhelming uninformedness and lack of preparation for the Vice Presidency that she displayed time and again. Granted, there are some on the far left who make unwarranted attacks on the GOP, but this is a small minority. However, the majority of GOP activists are extremists who belittle and undermine the legitimacy of President Obama and other liberals.
What does it tell you when Karl Rove, the most conservative guy out there, thinks that the party has to move slightly closer to the center? The Tea Party and the GOP have lost touch with reality, I just hope they don’t get the chance to brainwash another generation of young conservatives with racist, bigoted nonsense before it’s too late.
PS – What does it tell you when the majority of professors on a college campus are liberal? The most educated people in the country tend to be Democrats…. weird coincidence huh
GetOutOfSU
Your name says it all.
Nothing like those tolerant “most educated people in the country.”
Yeah, you guys are really tough when you impose speech codes that shut down all opposition.
GetOutOfSU LOL That is hysterical!
Dianny recently posted…DIANNY RANTS: GOP You Better Get Your Act Together
Mr GetOutOfSU,
I’ve actually seen Bill O defend His O’liness and he was wrong for it. Have not done much Beck since FOX chased him off, what is he up to thses days?
For Decades, the GOP has been sliding to the left to which they are almost left of center. I do appreciate you coming here and repeating the leftist line verbatim. Although you should probably listen to NPR a little more instead of MSNBC. Just a thought. Feel free to return here any time.
Rcat.
Reiuxcat recently posted…DIANNY RANTS: Conservatism? At Syracuse University?!
Yet again the issue of the economy is dodged, just as it was last night.
Taxes do not kill the economy, proof like the list I provided from Wall St. 24/7 that was linked to by Fox News show that to be the case.
Also, the “move there” comments were not made in any sort of joking manner. I don’t appreciate the go-to “move there” comments when people critique American policies and look elsewhere for ideas that we might improve our own nation.
Is there any sort of substantive argument you might have concerning taxes and the economy or are you just going to stick with Huckabee’s “A”-voidance from Q&A.
Um, Wall St. 24/7 is a blog. And I checked every link I think and they linked back to the blog.
Would you please post the FOX link you are referring to separately here in the comment section?
thank you in advance.
Reiuxcat recently posted…DIANNY RANTS: Conservatism? At Syracuse University?!
This Fox Business article links to the Wall St. 24/7
This Fox Business article linked to the Wall St. 24/7 piece
Also if you go to the first page of the Wall St. 24/7 article, you can download the World Economic Forum’s 545 page Global Competitiveness Report that the data for the 24/7 Wall St. article came from.
Dwight, I’m sorry, you’re being a bit dramatic with your description of people “screaming angrily” at the young man in question. Those tongue in cheek comments were just that…. comments, and they were followed by laughter, not disruptive, irate hollering. Real angry screaming is the sort of stuff I heard at a rally for Mitt Romney last year, where a liberal screamed profanities and personal attacks at Mr. Romney in front of a hall full of people, including families with young kids.
High taxes don’t kill an economy?
I realize it is clear on the other side of the country, but have you heard of California?
Funny thing about high taxes. If you have the opportunity to go somewhere with lower taxes, you do. It tends to cause people to flee — including the people who drive the economy.
Maybe if I wrote that in Swedish?
Dianny recently posted…DIANNY RANTS: GOP You Better Get Your Act Together
Yes I’ve heard of California, what about it?
There was a gold rush there starting in 1848.
Hollywood and the film industry for the most part calls California home.
Their governor is a former actor, and we know how conservatives love their actors turned politicians.
What is the point you are attempting to make using California?
Nice attempt at avoidance, Dwight, but I think you know that the point Dianny is trying to make about California is that they have sky high taxes, and their economy is one of the worst in the nation.
Apparently reading comprehension is not offered at Syracuse University.
Then again, perhaps I should have written it in Swedish — since they’re all so happy there (you know, like the crazies in a nuthouse).
Dianny recently posted…DIANNY RANTS: Conservatism? At Syracuse University?!
Actually, Sweden has a more free market economy than we do [1]! The USA has a combined corporate income tax of 39% — the highest in the world [1]. We have far more regulations than any western country and the highest per ca pita lawyer density in the world. Sweden’s economic position is also due to a different set of influences from their borders (ours are wide open to the third world, i.e. Mexico / their’s is closed), their language and culture or homogeneous. They have a rich heritage of people adhering to the “protestant/puritan work ethic”. We lost that along the way. The leftist like to perpetuate this myth that taxes can create wealth [2], Paul Krugman the biggest communist America hating Nobel prize winning economist of them all is top dog here. Oh, where do Nobel prizes come from? Oh yeah, Sweden.
As for their healthcare [3] we are going to no be much worse off then them with Obamacare. Liberals are destroying everything great about America — wake up and smell the coffee over the petuli oil you filthy stinking commie pinko hippie!
References
[1]. No Fooling: U.S. Now Has Highest Corporate Tax Rate in the World
[2]. Stagnating Socialist Sweden
[3]. Myth vs. Facts: Swedish Health Care
Reiuxcat, if you think the GOP has moved to where they are almost left of center, consider the fact that the British Parliament just legalized same-sex marriage, with a considerable portion of the conservative party voting in favor. If that were brought to a vote today in Congress, I would bet that not a single Republican would vote in favor. So continue with that pipe dream of yours.
And my username was picked to make a sarcastic point, how you complain about SU students not having free speech and ostracizing people who aren’t conservative. Then you ridicule someone for a completely irrelevant reason. Really showing the world what you care about huh. Maybe if you get off your high horse (“Diamonds are formed only through enormous pressure. Gold is only purified by fire.”) people would take you seriously. Every Republican student I have met on campus is opinionated to the point of arrogance. It’s one thing to debate with someone, it’s another to tell them they are stupid or uneducated for not seeing things their way.
Why would you say that reading comprehension isn’t offered at Syracuse University?
There was nothing in your comment regarding California to comprehend other than a loosely alluded to comment about people fleeing to places with lower tax rates.
You made no mention of any particulars. Back your claims with data or evidence, anything to substantiate what it is that you’re saying, otherwise your arguments leave nothing to be comprehended.
“PS – What does it tell you when the majority of professors on a college campus are liberal? The most educated people in the country tend to be Democrats…. weird coincidence huh”
“It’s one thing to debate with someone, it’s another to tell them they are stupid or uneducated for not seeing things their way.”
So, by your two comments, I am to conclude that you college folk are just so stinking smart that you’re liberal, therefore we gap tooth conservatives are stupid or uneducated. AND, secondly, you don’t like it when people instead of debating call their opponents stupid or uneducated.
With reasoning like that, you must spend just oodles of hours arguing with yourself.
Dianny recently posted…DIANNY RANTS: Conservatism? At Syracuse University?!
One final comment on this thread from me.
This website’s comments section is moderated. What this means is, when you submit your comment an email is sent to the post’s originator (in this case me, Dianny) and the main Admin (Reiuxcat). We then have to approve the comment before it appears.
You will note your comments appear here. You have not been censored. We have not dispatched the Speech Police and sent your comments down a memory hole. Very unlike Syracuse University, I’m sure.
We conservatives believe that everyone has a right to speak out. Everyone has a right to be heard. Even if we may not agree with you. Your comments have appeared.
This is what Freedom of Speech is all about. That is one of our founding principles — which are the basis of conservatism.
If you review the posts on this site you will not find “hate speech” or “racism,” or “bigotry.” You may not agree with what is posted. You might find it silly or even stupid. But do not misrepresent who we are or what we believe using such inflammatory words as bigotry and racism.
I admire the college conservatives at SU because they are not afraid of boldly being who they are. They will not be silenced even in the face of silly accusations of racism or bigotry. I’m proud of them.
As someone who used to be a shrill, angry Liberal when I was in my twenties and even my thirties, I admire them even more.
Dianny recently posted…DIANNY RANTS: GOP You Better Get Your Act Together
Well said, Dianny.
To the person mocking Dianny’s point about how conservatives bear up under pressure: It is tough to be a conservative, not because our ideology is wrong and indefensible, but because we are unfairly and inaccurately labelled uneducated, bigoted, racist, homophobic nut cases (and worse) as soon as we identify ourselves as conservatives.
As a young, vocal, conservative woman, I have been called every slur in the books, I have been told to get raped, I have been told to die, and I have been told that I should have been aborted. I don’t have a problem with being called a lot of names that aren’t true. I refuse to be intimidated by threats from people who can’t hold their own against me in an argument. So, I’ve learned to brush these things off and be just as fervent in my expression of my opinions and beliefs as the people who disagree with me are. If refusing to be intimidated and silenced makes me “opinionated to the point of arrogance,” then that’s what I am.
I hear Malmö is lovely this time of year….you should visit, Dwight…..but hopefully you aren’t Jewish….could be problematic.
It is bc Huckabee is no Sarah Palin or Ann Coulter or for that matter, Rush, Levin, Michael Savage (I can see it now). The left would be happy with Huck as the Repub. pres nominee.
From GetoutofSU: “What does it tell you when Karl Rove, the most conservative guy out there, thinks that the party has to move slightly closer to the center?”
Karl Rove is in no way a conservative. Where did you get that? He is in fact THE poster child for Crony Capitalism and the ultimate example of what has gone wrong with our government.
For the moment I’m laying aside the absolute incompetents on the left who seem to think basic math as regards government spending doesn’t matter.
I hope your post only reflects ignorance as that can be addressed. I fear it may reflect stupidity as manifested by willful ignorance.
You obviously don’t know the playing field which I hope can be attributed to youth and idealism. But you possess big ideas.
Good for you. Have at it. You may find your path easier in getting results if you do your homework. The people who will lie to you are legion, and they depend on you taking their word. Vet it all, every thing you say reflects only on you.