Column: An unheard campus voice
Zach Psick
Issue date: 10/20/09 Section: Opinion
If you are one of those people who think Che Guevara was "not that bad" or even "a hero of sorts," then you might not think there is a problem with political bias at Hamline.
But, for the rest of us, it is pretty obvious.
And ironically, at a university known for its liberalism, the most diverse and tolerant people on campus seem to be the conservatives, when Hamline speaks of diversity, they don't mean diversity of political ideologies. Politically, some only want to hear two sides of each issue: the left and Che.Â
In their free time, conservatives read conservative books. They listen to, watch and spend time with other conservatives. But they come to Hamline where they are taught the other side of the issues.Â
That causes me to worry about the rest of the student body, because unless they are making an individual effort, they are only being taught the liberal position on most issues while the conservative viewpoint is often belittled and dismissed.
Every day at Hamline, I am confronted with something that is contrary to what I believe.
I am constantly surrounded by people who disagree with me.
Some of my professors lean so far to the left that I'm not sure how they stay standing. I love it.Â
But I don't love the stereotype that many hold of conservatives.
For example, we're not racist because we disagree with President Obama, sexist for being pro-life or homophobic because we have a different view of marriage.
We care about "social justice" issues, though our solutions often take a different approach.Â
But the stereotypes continue. We hear talk about the wonders of a diversity of opinions in education and learning to "disagree without being disagreeable," but then the same people take cheap shots at the opposing party, reducing those opposed to Obama's health care reform to a couple hundred people yelling at town hall meetings.
Is that how you civilly disagree with each other, by denigrating the opposition?
But, for the rest of us, it is pretty obvious.
And ironically, at a university known for its liberalism, the most diverse and tolerant people on campus seem to be the conservatives, when Hamline speaks of diversity, they don't mean diversity of political ideologies. Politically, some only want to hear two sides of each issue: the left and Che.Â
In their free time, conservatives read conservative books. They listen to, watch and spend time with other conservatives. But they come to Hamline where they are taught the other side of the issues.Â
That causes me to worry about the rest of the student body, because unless they are making an individual effort, they are only being taught the liberal position on most issues while the conservative viewpoint is often belittled and dismissed.
Every day at Hamline, I am confronted with something that is contrary to what I believe.
I am constantly surrounded by people who disagree with me.
Some of my professors lean so far to the left that I'm not sure how they stay standing. I love it.Â
But I don't love the stereotype that many hold of conservatives.
For example, we're not racist because we disagree with President Obama, sexist for being pro-life or homophobic because we have a different view of marriage.
We care about "social justice" issues, though our solutions often take a different approach.Â
But the stereotypes continue. We hear talk about the wonders of a diversity of opinions in education and learning to "disagree without being disagreeable," but then the same people take cheap shots at the opposing party, reducing those opposed to Obama's health care reform to a couple hundred people yelling at town hall meetings.
Is that how you civilly disagree with each other, by denigrating the opposition?
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