Conservatives need to challenge ideas

Many conservative students at this campus believe that the
overwhelming majority of professors consider themselves
“liberal,” and are indoctrinating their students with
progressive, anti-war, pro-affirmative action, “save the rain
forest” ideologies.

Well, I have news for those who believe liberalism is being
funneled into classrooms and lecture notes: You have always
received a biased education. Since you were a child, you’ve
been told that Columbus discovered a world already inhabited for
thousands of years; that the Pilgrims met friendly American
Indians, who happened to invite them to massacre whole
civilizations; and that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves, while
keeping slaves in his northern states. You were led to assume that
Europe was the center of culture and that anybody – regardless of
race, sex or creed ““ could become the president of the United
States. You were never informed that the United States has actually
lost wars, or that they have started many of history’s
bloodiest conflicts in order to defend the “national
interest”. Do not be surprised that your basic assumptions
are finally being challenged at UCLA.

It is not the university’s fault that the most learned
people in society happen to be liberal. Because professors have
been exposed to many views, they have aligned themselves with
progressive ideals. After countless papers, research and theses
they come to a conclusion: Those same tree-hugging,
diversity-loving, war-opposing ideas will actually benefit
society.

The conspiracy theorists, who speculate that universities spend
countless hours passing up conservative professors, must look at
the facts. Yes, there are more liberal professors at universities,
however, one must consider the applicant pool for university
positions. The conservatives may be more interested in entering the
ranks of corporate America.

Also, if the university was so bent on pushing its liberal,
political agenda, then there would be no Bruin Republicans or
conservative political slates in the Undergraduate Students
Association Council. If you truly harbor a conservative view, your
voice can be heard.

If you really object to being taught by a dominantly liberal
faculty, you can always go to a university that embodies
conservative ethics and values. There is always Bill Jones
University, a conservative college campus with many conservative
professors. As long as you can get past the ban on interracial
dating and the lack of religious freedom, you should fit in just
fine.

Or if you’re lucky, perhaps you can receive President
George W. Bush’s education. After underachieving in high
school, you could go to a prestigious university, pull straight Cs
in undergraduate courses, and get a master’s at Harvard,
because of its patronage system. Then, you can grow up to oppose
affirmative action fervently. After all, you would have benefited
from your own privilege.

But regardless of whether you’re conservative, liberal or
President Bush himself, you need to challenge the information given
to you. Don’t passively complain about having liberal
professors you don’t agree with. If you feel you have been
given information that is inaccurate, you have the right as a
fee-paying, university student to challenge those views. Research
the arguments that oppose those of your professors and bring them
up in lecture. You did not come to this university to regurgitate
some professor’s beliefs, but to analyze and verify the
information and “common knowledge.”

Smith is a fourth-year political science student.