At Syracuse University, my conservative political views have been occasionally ridiculed and often dismissed — but always challenged.

And for that, I could not be more thankful.

For young conservatives, there is no better place for intellectual growth than in an environment hostile to your core beliefs. Engaging in class discussion with peers and professors who, on the whole, fundamentally disagree with your point of view is ultimately rewarding.

I could write a short book with tales of liberal bias from the SU faculty over the last four years. I learned that grown men do cry when an economics professor was nearly brought to tears of joy on the morning after Barack Obama’s election. I learned that Alzheimer’s disease can be a laughing matter when a history professor admitted to lighting a candle in celebration of Ronald Reagan’s death. I learned that making the same joke over and over can be humorous — as long as the punch line is about Sarah Palin or George W. Bush.

These personal anecdotes, while just a small sampling of the political imbalance at SU, are not at the crux of the problem on this campus, however.  

Much more concerning is that conservative views are mocked and belittled to the point at which students may be ashamed to speak their minds. If young conservatives are made to feel as though they are backward or misguided because of their opinions about normative issues, the academic process is irreparably harmed.

Believing in the benefits of multinational corporations and free trade is not selfish. Rejecting an over-regulated nanny state featuring a massive government-run health care system is not cold-hearted. Supporting the Arizona immigration law is not racist. And — gasp — arguing against the supposed societal benefits of gay marriage is not backward.

The aforementioned political issues are hotly contested precisely because there are no clear, easy answers. Just because there may be a liberal consensus at elite universities does not mean that the debate should cease.

Oftentimes, in fact, it is up to conservative students to ensure that the debate continues. Everyone engaged in the discussion will reap the benefits since an issue cannot be fully explored unless multiple viewpoints are given a fair shake.

I commend the small, feisty group of conservatives I have come across at SU who push back against the liberal status quo. It is not easy to speak up in an unsympathetic classroom. I am also thankful for my liberal peers who have pressed me to think more critically about issues clouded by my own bias and experience. And of course, I would be remiss without thanking the university for providing an unmatched forum for such important discussion.

Looking back at the first piece I wrote for The Daily Orange, entitled ‘SU Classrooms Lean Liberal,’ I see a 700-word complaint about the lack of ideological diversity on campus. Now that I’ve come full circle, writing about the same topic in my last column, my perspective has evolved.

Sure, the liberal bias exists, and it is far from desirable. It would be ideal if conservative viewpoints were treated more fairly and if SU’s fixation on diversity and open mindedness applied to all beliefs across the political spectrum.

But the current environment still provides an avenue — albeit unorthodox — for SU conservatives to thrive. You can’t ask for much more than that.

Jimmy Paul is a senior political science major. He can be reached at jdpaul01@syr.edu.

 

Published on May 2, 2011 at 12:00 pm