The lack of liberty on college campuses
Bottom Line: My college experience, like my life generally, was anything but typical. I recall as a freshman in a Sociology class being the only one of the approximate 150 students to take on the debate over affirmative action in front of the class. I recall a year later in a Communications course final, tasked with providing making speech that emphasized the power of persuasion, using my speech before the class to make the case for the Republican party. I recall challenging my 19th and 20th Century History Professor on her declarative statements about the benefits of FDR’s, “New Deal”. And then there was the moon shot. The one that ended it for me. The economics professor with a political agenda. Up to that point I stayed the course as a Dean’s list student on scholarship because, well, I was a Dean’s list student on a scholarship. But here’s the thing.
Despite choosing the challenging path, that more often than not was uncomfortable - to stand up for and advance my views, and when needed the truth (when confronted with agenda) it was still my choice. And the thing was most of the time, once I took the lead, there were other students that followed. But that was well over 20 years ago and the disdain for analytical thought and freedom of expression has only lessened on college campuses across the country since.
So much so, that yesterday the President of the United States felt compelled to sign an executive order demanding that the first Amendment to the United States Constitution be upheld at educational establishments subsidized by taxpayers. That should be chilling, even for those most opposed to the President politically. Students often fall into the trap of thinking that they’re liberal therefore they agree with the left. What they’ve yet to figure out is that the leftists they’ve adhered to are anything liberals. Here’s the definition of liberal:
- Liberal: open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values.
Now, here’s the definition of bigotry.
- Bigotry: intolerance toward those who hold different opinions from oneself.
Which fits this discussion? Is academia full or liberals, open to the views of others, or full of bigots as they attempt to silence any who disagree with them? This is one of my greatest long-term frustrations. Students who think they’re liberal when they’re actually indoctrinated bigots.
Positive change must start somewhere. Hopefully this is it. In the meantime, I’ll remain your fearless, truthful advocate for liberty. That mission has never changed for me.