Op-Ed
Conscience of a Conservative
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I was once at a function where I was introduced to three people, two men and one woman. The conversation was jovial and apolitical until one of the young men complimented me on my sense of humor, to which the woman replied, “Yeah, watch her turn out to be a Republican.” Instead of pretending that this was an insult, I informed my newfound friends that I was, in fact, conservative, and a Republican to boot. After staring at me with the look of a slack-jawed yokel, the three of them abruptly ended the conversation and walked away. While this story may be humorous, it is not uncommon. Although Cornell University boasts a reputation for embracing all types of students from every walk of life imaginable, one of the last accepted prejudices is against conservative women.
Case in point: think of the last time you were in a room at Cornell and assumed that the women there were right-wing. There is no physical attribute that sets conservatives apart from liberals, thus allowing us plenty of opportunities to hear good old fashioned bashing. Most commonly, it’s a joke about George W. Bush in class or a dig at pro-lifers at a party that causes us to come out of the conservative closet. Upon learning of my ideology, the first thing people at Cornell say is, “Well, that’s just because of your background. You don’t know how the real world is.”
Allow me to refute. I was not raised in a two-parent household, although I do come from a supportive family. I am not from an upper level income family. In fact, payday to me is akin to a national holiday. However, a fair amount of people would be surprised to learn that a large amount of conservative women come from similar backgrounds. I, like many of these women on this campus and throughout the country, overcame obstacles such as these with a healthy appreciation for competition and its rewards. This country was built upon hard work and opportunity. Conservative women do not want handouts; we accept competition with all of its shortcomings and pitfalls. Thus, our nature is intrinsically different from that of those who wish to exploit differences to make themselves seem accepting.
Next, and this situation is especially true if I am talking with another girl, my loyalty to my gender is questioned. I will admit it: I did not realize that my membership to the female gender came with ideological strings. However, I will attempt to address the three most common stances that allegedly make me the Benedict Arnold of my sex.
Although you will often hear otherwise on this campus, it is ok to be both a woman and pro-life. It is not a betrayal of my gender to fight for the rights of baby girls who cannot defend themselves against a procedure designed to end their existence. In addition, the mother herself is the recipient of an invasive practice, which always carries serious health risks. Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Mary Wollstonecraft, all pillars of modern-day feminine thought, believed abortion to be murder, although you don’t see those particular writings on too many syllabi.
Yes, I supported the War in Iraq, and yes it is helping women. Women are free from Saddam Hussein’s oppressive regime, women are being increasingly granted rights, including the sacred right to vote. They are able to run for office and are increasingly taking an active role in society, even in the face of an insurgency that wants to continue oppressing them.
Third, I do want to help the poor, but sustained government assistance is not the answer. Sure, saying the government will take care of the poor makes everyone feel great. The purpose of the government is to govern; supporting successful private charities ensures that more people can be helped, which should make everyone feel good.
But, you say, this phenomenon of prejudice occurs on every college campus. Although it may be a common theme in most universities, there’s something about Cornell that just brings it out in people. I spent my first two years of college at a school in inner city Philadelphia, an area not exactly known for being a bastion for traditional conservatism. While I was there, only once was I openly mocked for my political beliefs, and even then the professor later told me that he respected my difference of opinion. Instead of Vice-Provosts for diversity, program housing and dialogues, students are forced to get over their prejudices or simply risk alienation.
Luckily, conservative women relish the challenge of breaking with the status quo. This year, every conservative organization on campus has at least one woman in their executive ranks. For an ideology that allegedly hates women when they’re not barefoot and pregnant, that’s remarkable. Unlike a significant number of our counterparts, we can rest assured that our positions were earned and not handed to us because the men wanted to make themselves feel good or wished to fulfill a quota.
So to the new conservative women, I say this to you: get involved and speak up. You have been given an opportunity to not just attend but shape one of the best universities in the world. Cornell University is wonderful not just for what it is, but for what it could be. College is the place where your ideas are challenged and shaped. We just have to (thankfully) work a little harder to do it.
Megan Sweeney is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at mps65@cornell.edu. The 700 Level appears alternate Mondays.