The origin of the “spread of progressivism” in our youth can be traced backed to academia.
For decades college professors have spouted the big government doctrines of John Rawls, Karl Marx, Paul Krugman, and FDR. The professors have been and still are unapologetically socialistic, and progressive. There are many Socratic seminars (where student participation is encouraged) and those have become indoctrination sessions where liberalism is shoved down student’s throats. Plus the conservative ideology is cast out as “radical”, “hate filled”, “archaic” and “anti-poor.”
Professors have insulated the lecture halls, campuses, and classrooms from any outside train of thought.
Most universities in key swing states are on lockdown status during this presidential cycle. This is a masterful attempt to preserve the liberal bubble they have created. In such a close election anything that might make students see the other side, cannot be tolerated.
About a month and a half ago, the organization I founded, Turning Point USA (www.turningpointusa.net), reached out specifically to universities in swing states trying to target the youth from an alternative perspective.
To be completely fair, we invited the Republicans and the Democrats to participate in the debate. The thought process was to get students energized, activated, and involved before the election. We planned to even have voter registration, informational booths, and non-partisan educational materials made readily available. We reached out to over 15 universities. The students were very open to the idea and we referred them to the student activities office and other administrative staff to get event approval from the University.
Every aspect went along swimmingly until the final authorization from the administration. I was stunned that some of the universities would, in essence, censor free speech by disallowing students to host a debate, and talk about fundamental issues facing this country.
Here are some of the responses we received:
An affiliate with Hope College Stated:
“After a brief review of your page, I quickly came to realize the surplus of nonsense your group is promoting to young Americans. If my acceptance of this event grants you further permission to come to Hope’s campus, I must decline any further participation.”
Iowa State University:
“You are not as liberal as advertised. We do not want you to be part of any activity on campus.”
Trinity College:
“A debate is something we are highly disinterested in. This is not something our university would want on our campus.”
Loyola University:
“Your organization will not be participating in any activity on campus.”
Our mission was to engage the youth and try and challenge the ideals of big government, progressivism, and the entitlement state. We wanted the liberal organizations, like Occupy, Moveon.org, and the Democratic Socialists of America to attend and to participate.
We are trying to pierce the bubble that the professors and academic elites have created.
Illinois State University was our first debate. Ironically, the only school (after ISU) to accept our invitation for a debate, was and is “the origin and the root of liberalism,” the University Of Wisconsin, Madison.
The scene of the Wisconsin recall, the home of Senator Feingold, and a safe haven for big government ideologues everywhere has accepted the invitation to host an intellectual debate regarding fiscal policy.
They have yet to close the doors, or try and stop our progress, yet in an election year where the liberal ideology is on trial, it makes sense that universities have attempted to close the doors from an alternative train of thought. At first we were discouraged that we would not be able to activate students and challenge the principles of old.
But now, we are encouraged and energized beyond belief. Why? Because the fact that schools are closing their doors from the outside, is clear evidence they fear the facts. They are deathly afraid of math, empirical logic, and fiscal sanity.
This shows the liberal proletariat pulling out all the stops to try and preserve their own hand-crafted diluted form of progressivism. Now is the time to continue to challenge the principles of the welfare state, to reinforce facts in our lecture halls, and to demand a return of balanced education in our universities.
And if we do our job, the bubble will burst.