My experiences as a Christian conservative on campus
Have you ever felt like a fish out of water? Maybe you were in a foreign country trying to communicate your dinner order to a confused waiter. Or maybe you moved to a new town and had to start all over.
Most CU students probably feel like a fish out of water when they start their new lives here in Boulder. But I’m willing to bet that my transition isn’t going as well as yours. Being a conservative Christian girl from Colorado Springs, I have faced challenges here that I never expected.
Growing up as the daughter of a lieutenant colonel in the army, I had moved to six different places in America by the time I was 13. When my dad retired, we moved one last time to Colorado Springs. Though I was raised Christian, it was there that I gained a firm belief in my faith and decided that conservative values were important to me.
When it was time to choose colleges I decided that after moving so much, I wanted to pick a place close to home. It was also important for me to choose a college that would best fit my future goal-to become a news anchor. CU seemed like the perfect fit.
I figured that this move would be like all the rest. I knew that Boulder was mainly a Democratic town, but I assumed that people would still accept me despite my differing viewpoints. Man, was I wrong.
Early last fall, I had just begun getting used to my new college life. I loved everything about it. But one day, as I was walking back to my dorm from my journalism class, one of my classmates walked up behind me and started talking about the lecture. He said that we’re fortunate that most of the media are controlled by Democrats. When I told him that I’m a conservative Republican, he looked at me and said, “How can you be so stupid?” Then he walked away.
Even though I didn’t say anything about myself other than I’m conservative, he instantly judged me. I was left standing in the dust, wondering how someone could call me stupid based on one thing I said. He is only one person out of several who have instantly thought I was an idiot after discovering that I was either a Christian or a conservative.
If America really is the land of free speech, then why is it impossible for me to voice my opinions without being insulted? People in Boulder seem to think that if you are not a Democrat, then you are simply invading their territory and taking up valuable air.
I’m just an 18-year-old college student who is trying to make the grades, be a good person and enjoy my college experience. But people don’t care about the person I am underneath my political and religious beliefs. Yes, I am conservative and Christian, but that doesn’t make me a horrible person. It drives me crazy that no one ever considers my viewpoints while I try to be understanding of others.
Although, to be absolutely honest, I have a hard time supporting many Democratic ideas, and I think that evolution has about as much merit as a pile of bologna. Sorry evolutionary biology majors, but until I see a species of fish turn into humans, I’m not convinced.
I don’t want to change this town. I know that this place is Democrat Central and will probably always remain so. I also realize that not all Democrats are like the person I had previously described, so for those of you who aren’t, thank you. But for those of you who are like my classmate, instead of trying to ostracize me, try thinking outside your narrow-minded opinions.
For those of you who are attempting to change who I am by cutting down my beliefs, it’s not going to happen, so all you are doing is wasting your breath, and my time. Not everyone in the country is like you, and whether you like it or not, many people do differ from your opinions, and you should listen to them. American politics are a mixture of both Democratic and Republican viewpoints, so it’s impossible for someone to ignore one side and still know what’s best for America.
There are some Democratic ideas that I support, such as proactive involvement in environmental issues. Likewise, there are probably republican viewpoints that you agree with, such as a balanced budget and limited taxes. America’s political system is a huge balancing act, and if people try too hard to represent one side of the spectrum, which I see so often here in Boulder, then it will be impossible for our society to represent all that America stands for.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Rachael Fischer at rachael.fischer@thecampuspress.com
