Conservatives work hard to overcome their under representation
By Hannah Drown, Staff Writer
October 30, 2007 | 6 a.m.
Whatever the reason may be, college campuses like Ohio University seem to be predominately represented by Democrats. Conservatives are fighting back to make themselves heard as political voice here in Athens.
Regardless of a person’s political beliefs, sharing them is a personal and controversial stride in one’s political maturity. This step is made more difficult when there's anxiety of being an outspoken political underdog involved.
In Athens, the general consensus is that the conservatives are greatly outnumbered by liberals.
“There’s no question that most people don’t think the way I do,” said Richard Vedder, a conservative economics professor.
The problem does not lie within sheer numbers. It's the fact that many conservatives feel singled out by their fellow more liberal Bobcats.
“People with conservative views on campus are a minority," Vedder said. "Sometimes you feel discriminated against because of that.”
Much of this discrimination stems from deep-rooted assumptions that the American population has about conservatives. The controversial events, such as the current war in Iraq, that have played out over the last five years have not helped the issue.
“There’s definitely people who scoff and say, ‘How can you believe that?’” senior Nick Gatz, president of College Republicans, said.
According to sophomore Emily Mullin, vice president of College Republicans, if you tell someone that you’re conservative or a republican, they assume things about you. “It’s an expletive,” she said.
Many people believe that college campuses are inherently liberal and attribute the trend to political shifts in the past.
“Campuses changed radically in the 1960’s," Gatz said. "[They] became more radical and more left. Through different social movements, the campuses became havens for radicalism.” This theory is one that many people support, but Vedder believes that the trend lies more within the institution itself.
“One thing that contributes to [unequal political representation on campus] is the fact that campuses are subsidized by the government," he said. "Universities are governmental programs.”
The topic of politics causes some of the most heated debates. With issues such as gay marriage, the war in Iraq, the death penalty and where the tax payer’s dollars are going, it is understandable that people sometimes have a hard time seeing from the viewpoint of the opposition. This causes many conservatives to believe that their ideals are mistaken.
“People sometimes get a wrong view of conservatism looking at George W. Bush and Rush Limbaugh," Gatz said. "There are some real heroes and real American ideas.” Through all of these discrepancies and misrepresentations, it is sometimes hard for the conservative students and faculty to uphold their political convictions. "We're outnumbered in Athens without a doubt, but that's not to say we don't work hard," Gatz said.
Another myth that is prominent from both sides of the political spectrum is that people with strong political opinions cannot befriend those on the other end. According to Vedder, it is still possible to respect people with different views.
“I probably have more democratic friends than republican friends,” he said.
The largest action that the conservatives on campus are trying to promote is change. Gatz said that there’s always room to improve and to change. “I’d like to see more openness to conservative free speech," he said. "I’d like to see more willingness to listen to conservative ideas. We have a lot to be proud of. We are outnumbered, but that doesn't stop us from working hard and promoting our beliefs," he added.
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