Hmm. I've visited a good many
college campuses in my day, and it seems to me that
college liberals aren't as common as one might think. I think the reason that they seem to be everywhere is that they are outspoken. Here in
Oklahoma, for instance, political
conservatism is rampant on college campuses. There is a very popular conservative
student newspaper to which students from every major
university in the state contribute, and I don't think it's just because this is a conservative state. The students who write in this newspaper are well-
articulated and well-reasoned; they aren't
KKK misogynists with a
vendetta. The
University of Oklahoma has a "Jesus Week" (I don't know what it's called for sure) every
semester, when
Christian Conservatives set up booths on campus and
preach at students. At the university I attended, the College
Republicans have a prominent place on campus, and there is no branch of College
Democrats. The professors here tend to be more conservative than
liberal. I tend to sway to the liberal point of view in many political discussions, and when I voice theses opinions in
class, I am always in the
minority. I've had fellow students tell me that "Women belong in the house, there's no reason for them to be educated," that "
Minorities need to just suck it up and fend for themselves," and that "
Socialist government programs just keep society from progressing." These are not isolated incidents. Most of the time, the majority of the class will murmur in agreement with such statements.
I know what you're thinking (we liberals can read minds). You're thinking, "But that's just Oklahoma. Don't they still live in mud huts? Don't they still ride
tractors to school? Of course they're conservative! Duh!" First of all, Democrats hold the majority in Oklahoma's State
Congress, so these college kids aren't just following in Mommy and Daddy's footsteps. Second, it's not just Oklahoma. I've been to universities all over this nation - east, west, north, south - and I find conservative students and professors everywhere I go. I think I know why; see if you can follow me here. Most people go to college so they can earn more money (with the exception of English and History majors). People who want to earn money want to keep it. To which political party do people who want to keep their money turn? The Republican Party, of course. Just because
Cornell and
Rice University don't have a whole lot of conservative profs doesn't mean that universities everywhere are just chock full of yellow-dog liberals. Of course, you have to look closely sometimes. Maybe the next generation of political conservatives is more complacent now that we're going to have a Republican majority in Congress and a Republican President. So maybe they don't think they have to speak up. So listen closely - very, very closely - and you'll hear a few of them mumbling their way across campus.