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Growing up is hard, especially the late teenage and early adult years. College is a transformative stage in one’s life that teaches you valuable social, professional, and problem-solving skills. You form life-long bonds with friends from across the country with an array of cultures and beliefs. But what if you are different in college? Maybe you believe taxation is theft and that your right to bear arms should not be infringed under any circumstances. Maybe you believe that abortion is murder, or maybe you could be so extreme in your ideology that you believe speech should not be regulated by the government. If these thoughts crossed your mind before you got your first paycheck and saw that the feds took a big bite out of it, most of the people in your college will think you are… odd… Conservatives in college are a rarity.
There is a common saying I have heard: if you are young and conservative you have no heart, and if you’re old and liberal you have no brain. Neither of which are true by the way, but that will not stop staunch liberal professors and naïve progressive left peers from tormenting you for your beliefs. Take it from a sophomore in college that is president of his College Republicans chapter: the tolerant left has a big red target on your back. I have been spat on, assaulted, had my property destroyed, threatened by ANTIFA, yelled at across campus, failed out of classes, and been stared down by students and teachers that have different beliefs than my own. Despite all this, I remain steadfast in the cause, because I honestly believe that if I give up, and if every other college conservative that gets put through the ringer gives up, our country will be lost. It is on our shoulders to stay on the path and continue spreading the truth. Of course, all of this is not to complain about my situation, most people have it much worse off in life than I do, but it is worth noting that the progressive left’s message of tolerance does not extend to anybody of the right side of the aisle, and many of my friends and peers across the nation feel the same hatred aimed at them that I do.
Fortunately, there is a ray of hope. At any one time, there are probably 15-30 conservative students (total) on campus that are just as fired up about Republican politics as you are. There is probably a Young Americans for Freedom, Turning Point, or College Republicans chapter on your campus for you to turn to. Those students end up becoming your true friends. If you are reading this, you are probably already acutely aware of this fact though. You are probably also aware that it is impossible to do anything as a chapter unless you have support behind you from one of the “grown-up” political chapter groups in your area. One of the most abundant and important of these groups is the California Republican Assembly. If you are looking to get involved in politics, go to a local chapter and get to know the members. Odds are they will be astonished you even exist. They will probably (hopefully) want to sponsor you and your chapter as well. Young people in college and high school are the future of the Republican Party. The youth are not able to accomplish anything without the support of the older generations though, and the party that is now predominantly represented by the older generations will not survive without the activity and interest of the youth. It is a symbiotic relationship. I implore the younger Republicans reading this to go to your local CRA chapter, go to meetings, and get involved in local politics. Alternatively, I implore the older Republicans reading this to go to your local college chapters and get involved by helping them bring in speakers and recruit more people to learn about conservative beliefs. If we do not help each other and come together as a united party, the left’s indoctrination of the youth in universities will ultimately spell the end of the Republican Party.
By Will Donahue
Will Donahue, Los Angeles Regional Vice-Chair, California Federation of College Republicans, President, Loyola Marymount University College Republicans, State Senate District 35 Director, California Republican Assembly (CRA), Member, South Los Angeles – Inglewood Republican Assembly (SLAIRA)
