Guest Column
The Conscience of a Campus Conservative
By John T. Plecnik
My last column, "Forget Free Speech, Liberals Don't Tolerate Campus
Conservatives," drew the ire and attention of thousands. Published online
by GOPUSA and the Washington Times, it sparked still more debate on the
issue of liberal bias on campus. Conservative professors from North
Carolina, Wisconsin and across the country e-mailed their support. One
celebrity endorsement came from former U.S. House Historian Christina
Jeffrey, who currently presides over the South Carolina Association of
Scholars. In her words, this past column was my "best ever."
Still more students, parents and alumni stepped up, sending e-mails and
notes, while weighing in on countless blogs and message boards. An
Assistant U.S. Attorney, who read and enjoyed my column, even made a point
of telling me that his office had jobs for law students like me. Thank you,
Sir. And thank you, all. Together, we are big enough to beat liberal bias.
Of course, for every message of support, a legion of liberals gnashed their
teeth. One angry reader just told me to "get a life." Another insisted
that I was a hypocrite for criticizing higher education without dropping out
of school. And sadly, the next hundred-or-so arguments only got less
intelligent from there.
However, one theme was clear from the holier-than-thou feedback of the
liberal elite. The majority of them are still in denial. They refuse to
believe that campus conservatives are anything more than a handful of rich
brats and "Bible Belt" bumpkins. In their minds, we either drive to Duke in
a BMW or spend our summers on mission trips. Not to knock luxury cars or
spreading the Gospel, but in actuality, campus conservatives come from every
walk of life. The money-hungry, nerdy stereotype of Alex P. Keaton,
depicted by actor Michael J. Fox on the popular 80s sitcom "Family Ties,"
has never been less germane than it is today.
Liberals also can't stand the reality of our numbers. The 60s hippy
generation represented a national movement, but campus conservatism is just
a fad, right? There are over 200,000 College Republicans on campus, says
College Republican National Committee Chairman Eric Hoplin. And, the
College Republicans barely constitute the tip of the academic iceberg. Add
in millions more conservatives that don't like political clubs or vote
Libertarian, and you begin to get the idea. Is it any wonder that America's
Leftist faculty has trouble dealing with my generation of students?
And make no mistake, America's faculty is Leftist. Ever wonder what happens
to all those failed, liberal politicians who espouse the famously unpopular
tax and spend platform? They go straight for the ivory tower. Al Gore grew
a beard and started teaching after losing Florida to then-Gov. George W.
Bush. Joe Trippi, Howard Dean's campaign manager, dropped his imploding
presidential candidate to be a fall fellow at Harvard's Kennedy School of
Government. Remember Johnny Edwards? After his embarrassing loss, the
University of North Carolina
decided to create a "Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity," for the
former senator and vice presidential nominee. Finally, who could forget the
famed professor-politician, U.S. Rep. David Price (D-N.C.)? As a member of
congress, and Duke's faculty, Price always has a job*even when he loses the
popular vote.
Aside from these much-cited and sensational illustrations, the reality is
that most professors are card-carrying liberals. Various studies and
surveys indicate that faculty at elite schools, good schools, average
schools, state schools, private schools and on down the line, tend to be
overwhelmingly liberal. In many ways, contemporary campus conservatism is a
response to these liberal professors and their collective attempt to
proselytize my generation.
We resent the professorial endeavor to label conservatism as a disease.
And, we refuse to let it go unanswered. On campus today, it's considered
acceptable behavior for a professor to plug liberalism in English 101,
history or economics. It's acceptable for universities to invite speakers
like Ward Churchill, who compared the 9/11 victims to Nazis. It's
acceptable to ban conservative groups like the UNC-Wilmington College
Republicans or UNC's Alpha Iota Omega Christian Fraternity. Campus
conservatives respectfully disagree.
And whether our professors like it or not, we have no intention of
disagreeing quietly. We choose to air our dissent on Fox News and CNN, in
the Washington Times and New York
Times, and even in federal court. By necessity, campus conservatives are
becoming columnists, commentators and First Amendment watchdogs. We are
taking our case beyond the campus community.
And, the nation is taking notice.
________________________________________
John T. Plecnik (JTP) is a 21-year-old law student at Duke
University and a Featured Columnist
at The Conservative Voice (www.theconservativevoice.com),
Lincoln Tribune, a weekly newspaper in Lincolnton,
N.C., and various other online and
print publications. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting with a Minor
in Mythology and graduated summa cum laude, sharing the title of
Valedictorian, from Belmont Abbey
College. Email your comments to John at
John.Plecnik@law.duke.edu. Web page:
www.johnplecnik.com
Copyright © 2005 John T. Plecnik