A New Breed Of Young Conservatives
By Gary Aldrich (08/04/03)
*Co-Authored by Gary W. Aldrich and Ashley N. Varner
Protests. Sit-ins. Rogue campus activism. The media make much ado over anti-war protesters, but these activities are increasingly employed by student groups such as the College Republicans, Campus Conservatives, and the like. Surprised? Don’t be. For years, the liberal activist trend has waned, as conservative students began taking up political arms across the country.
After years of movement-building, conservative college students are finally getting the recognition they deserve—and we are not talking about a hearty congratulations for fighting the Hard-Left academic establishment. Instead, we praise the fact that the media can no longer ignore conservative activism on campus—no small feat for any group.
The College Republican National Committee held their bi-annual conference in Washington, DC July 25-27. As a vendor at this conference, the staff at the Patrick Henry Center had the privilege of visiting with College Republicans from every state, and we got a glimpse at up-and-coming Republican leaders. Judging from this conference, the future looks bright, indeed.
For years, the media portrayed young conservatives in an “Alex P. Keaton” light. Well, thanks, but no thanks, Michael J. Fox. Gone are the days of the nerdy, sport coat-wearing, socially out-of-place Republican youth—if that stereotype was ever true. Today’s college Republican is mainstream, and their campus popularity is growing by leaps and bounds.
Conservative students suffer a constant barrage of academic discrimination. They are taunted by their professors and denied access to or participation in events by their school administrators. But they fight back. College students are tired of watching their national party leaders play nice and get walked on by their political enemies.
Today’s conservative students refuse to be victims, and they won’t be kept silent when competing with the Hard-Left for attention on campus:
The campus newspaper won’t give “equal time” to conservative viewpoints? Conservative students start their own paper.
Professors stage classroom walk-outs protesting the war?
Conservative students lead sit-ins outside their administrators’ offices, protesting their professors’ lack of academic integrity.
Liberal student organizations lead anti-war protests?
Conservative students hold pro-America rallies—often getting into heated arguments from hostile, “blame America first” liberals.
How does the Patrick Henry Center know this? Because one of our staff members is a newly graduated, feisty, College Republican leader.
Conservative students make their presence known on campus. Professors pull out their hair while administrators wring their hands in fear. Yes, fear. Some college students even take action with their state governments. When the University of Missouri—Columbia student government passed a resolution against the war in Afghanistan, conservative students got the state legislature involved. Reprimands and funding cuts followed, and our in-house University of Missouri alumnus couldn’t have been happier.
Don’t think conservative college students are merely causing trouble across our nation’s campuses. They also provide the Republican Party with a valuable volunteer force, and are often the fundraising directors, grassroots organizers and campaign managers of political races ranging from state legislature to US Senate.
The media can no longer spread the assumption that a vast majority of college students are “hate America first” liberal activists. While this is certainly true with professors, it is simply not the case of students, as our active conservative student groups remind us on a daily basis.
We need to pay attention to this rising generation of Republicans. They are the new face of the GOP, and they will be the leaders we have needed for a long time.
Way to go, conservative students. The GOP—indeed, the Heartland of America—is counting on you.
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