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Other articles in Politics > Independent
Rick Santelli for President!! 20 February 2009
Obama a Racist? 20 February 2009
| College Politics |
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| Politics > Independent |
| Written by Haley Michele Potiker |
| Saturday, 24 January 2009 18:32 |
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No, I would not like the latest issue of the Daily Worker, thanks for asking. Why? Because you cannot be prosecuted for handing it out, you little revolutionary, you. All day, every day college students are bombarded with images and representations of Un-American sentiment and anti-establishment ideals. Issues of "progressive" newspapers are handed out at every corner, demonstrations against the war in Iraq are organized in the quad, and members of Green Peace chase after students, showing them pictures of stranded polar bears and appealing to their guilt. "Look what is happening in the world!" They all shout. "It is your duty to make a difference!" But is it? The key to uncovering why college campus' are such a hotbed for the spread of these ideas is to first look a the demographics of the players themselves. Who are the teachers? Who are the students? Who are the revolutionaries? Who organized the clubs and who invented the new left? What happens when liberalism becomes mainstream? The answers to these questions can show just how deeply and effectively liberal notions have infiltrated student's learning. In a recent Gallup poll it was shown that 40% of Americans consider themselves to be politically conservative, 40% moderate, and 20% liberal. However, these percentages were quite different in a study conducted solely on college professors. In fact, only 3% of college professors declared themselves to be conservative, while almost 60% declared themselves to be liberal. In the 2000 presidential election, 84% of college professors stated that they voted for Al Gore while 9% voted for George W. Bush. In another poll, while 67% of Americans favored a tax cut, 80% of Ivy League professors disagreed. This leftward tilt logically leads toward a hefty liberal influence by teachers on college campuses across America. On their own for the first time, college students are left trying to find an identity in a world who's doors have suddenly been flung wide open. These students are suddenly left to discern between the messages they are constantly receiving from their teachers and the somehow distant views of their parents and past. In the classroom, teachers "open" their students minds to "progressive" ideas by running down America, demeaning capitalism, exaggerating oppression against minorities, women and the poor, and denouncing the republican party (namely George W. Bush). Why is this Anti-Americanism okay? Well, it could stem from a theory called that of Progressive Education, which is commonly practiced in younger classrooms, generally grades K-12. This is a philosophy that champions the socialization of children, stating that "the school is primary a social institution" who's critical purpose "is not science, nor literature, nor history, nor geography... But a child's social activities." This theory is a major contributor to both educational standards and common beliefs about schooling. It may be because of this that college is often thought of as a place to "grow-up", "find yourself", "discover where your loyalties lie", "make life-lasting relationships", and "experiment". Lost in the glory of students coming into their own and developing themselves and independent entities, people often lose track of the real reason college was invented and exists: to earn a degree. In fact, even at the Universities themselves extended learning is often put on the back burner while "mind opening" rallies, lectures and groups take center stage. The typical eighteen-year-old high school graduate has an extremely unclear view of what college will be like or what they plan on doing after they leave. They may have high expectations of their no-curfew, all booze all the time lifestyle, or have plans to join a Greek organization or hope to find a husband. Rarely considered in the hubbub of these racing thoughts is the teachers themselves. Who will be providing the education that is the main reason for goings to college in the first place? What will their motives be? Where will their loyalties lie? How will it all affect the student? The answers to these unasked questions, however, are very important to the discovery of the origins of liberal motifs that plague the grounds of top universities. Taking a look at the professors of top notch colleges, we can see a drastic swing to the left of most general education teachers. At UCLA, for example, 29 out of 31 English teachers, 12 out of 13 journalism teachers, 53 out of 56 history teachers and 16 out of 17 political science teachers proclaim themselves to be politically liberal. These statistics are generally the same at many other universities as well, including Cornell, Columbia, and Stanford. Trying to get their voices heard, teachers often drop their political ideals into their lectures, and grade accordingly. Students are asked to write on prompts directed towards government skepticism, reforms, and social responsibilities. Scared and awed by college, students have a difficult time questioning what their professors say, and rather respect their views and opinions. The students themselves are extremely susceptible to this. For the first time, they are away from their parents and responsible for themselves.... Kind of. The typical student is alone, but still being financially taken care of by their parents. This means that aside from studying, students tend to start to feel somewhat useless and a financial burdon. This makes for a mass of easily guilted consciences who are ready for a way and a reason to give back. Enter the idea of social responsibility. Enter the ever-so-cliche "there are starving children in Africa, and you are complaining about the cafeteria food?!" Enter shame and degradation. Enter distrust of authority. Enter the disregard of old values and the acceptance of new ones. Enter... well... something to stand for. And everyone falls into line. So then what happens to the kids who were outcasts in high school, and were picked on for being liberal, and grew to love being "different" or "radical"? Well isn't it obvious? if liberal is now mainstream, super-liberal is the new liberal, and leftist becomes the new left -wing. Welcome communist party. Welcome the 9/11 protests we saw on San Francisco State's campus and the ordeal surrounding Cornell and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The situation is comparable to when the green party was upset when more people started becoming ecologically friendly, and then going green was labeled "trendy", and the green party got angry that their idea's actually were taken into consideration because they didn't have anything more to complain about. At the end of the day, if you get someone passionate about something, they'll probably go out and vote for it come Election Day. So what is the true root of all this nonsense? Well, college students are the most demographically suitable people to be able to strike up a liberal passion in. They're mostly dependent on their parents, guilty because of it, and don't pay a substantial amount of taxes. Give them a reason to wake up in the morning, something to be passionate about, and a sense of purpose. Ten years from now, as college graduates with real jobs and families to support, they will probably realize that they were wrong and become financially and politically conservative. But by that time, there will be a whole new crop of college kids for the converting. No, I don't want an issue of the daily worker. God Bless America. |
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