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I don’t know how many of us noticed, I barely did, but there is another newspaper on campus. Calling itself the Louisville Patriot it describes itself as “a truly independent publication dedicated to the advancement of conservative viewpoints”.

If you haven’t picked it up, you should, it is well written and its coverage of the SGA candidates was very comprehensive. I say that even though I don’t agree with its basic principles and arguments. In one of its commentary pieces, Chris Kenner presents an incident that happened at UC-Berkeley to discuss his, and other peoples viewpoint, that many college campuses are become increasingly leftist, and even that the left is becoming the center (if you can follow that).

It is an oft repeated claim by many conservatives – that the radicals and leftists (almost always described as “long-haired”) are creating a “monopoly” of ideas, disregarding their claims of promoting equity, by not tolerating the rights of increasingly disenfranchised conservatives to express and promote their viewpoints.

It is a perfect example of how we can live in the same place even as we perceive and experience absolutely divergent realities. I see this as a period of increasing conservativism and neo-liberalism reacting against the gains that have been made in the sixties and seventies, nationally and on college campuses.

Perhaps Mr. Kenner is unaware that the American Council of Alumni and Trustees (in this instance led by Lynne Cheney and Joe Lieberman) have begun what many consider to be a “blacklist” of faculty who are accused of anti-Americanism because they teach and explore the origins of this latest conflict we are involved in its full historical context (as opposed to the nonsensical blurbs about “they hate freedom”). This is hardly an example of maintaining equal “airtime” on college campuses.

In regards to individual college students becoming increasingly leftist, I would be interested to understand exactly what you mean by that. The American Freshman Survey, the oldest survey of student attitudes, found that of the Class of 2005 students they polled in 421 colleges and universities in the nation, only 29.9% considered themselves “liberal” or “far left”, while “about half” considered themselves to be “middle of the road”. They used benchmark issues like gay marriage rights, reproductive rights, marijuana legalization, and death penalty attitudes to measure liberalism. I hardly think that warrants the description “ominous trend” that Kenner feels that it is, neither does it illustrate that “leftism has come to dominate college life”.

Perhaps it is the fact that there are so many alternate and disparate viewpoints in the ‘marketplace of ideas’ that so worries conservatives, making them feel crowded out. I’m shocked that Kenner isn’t overjoyed that these longhaired leftists “long content to frequent the noveau cafes” are getting involved in the democratic process. After all, an informed and involved citizenry can only enrich our society.

But I do agree that many social and political groups in the country, and worldwide, do not always express their views in a peaceful and useful manner. For example, as much as I agree with most of the views held by the protestors in Seattle a few years ago, the fact that they destroyed some property (minimal though it was) undermined their credibility and their standpoint. Regardless of our good intentions (assuming good intentions) in the pursuit of our values, neither the left nor the right always lives up to those same values, and unfortunately it undermines the entire process. History shows that sentiments and viewpoints denied legitimate expression find illegitimate outlets that range from graffiti to violence.

In that spirit, welcome, Louisville Patriot, I think that the competition in this marketplace will enrich us all.

Josephine Khamisi is a senior sociology major and guest columnist for The Cardinal. Contact: josephine_khamisi@louisvillecardinal.com