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To the Editor:

To all the people who have the cojones to be open Republicans at a liberal university: you have my blessing.

In a place where you bump into more political fanatics than religious ones, where your political viewpoints can earn your more disapproval than your sexual orientation, I’d say that the election is quite a touchy subject to argue about if your not within the paradoxical “left-winged mainstream.”

The many so-called “liberal-minded” ones out there fail to see the hypocrisy in criticizing the one or two rare conservatives that pop up at overwhelmingly leftist schools. They are not liberal in the traditional sense that they are opposing the traditional, conformist mindset; rather they are doing quite the opposite by adhering to the majority party among their peers.

In fact, as Jordan Rothman brought up in his last editorial projected at the Bush Bashers on campus, attacking the Republican Party and the people associated with it has become something of a trend. Those not immediately hopping on the Obama-wagon risk their reputations with every questionable commentary they make.

Liberals have had it hammered into their heads to accept all persons of varying creeds, races and sexualities as equals within humankind, unless those persons are registered Republicans, in which case they can be equated with the scum of the earth.

I am not a Democrat, nor am I a Republican, but I am certainly thoughtful enough about my beliefs and the beliefs of others to be considerate when discussing politics. Actually, all of this is a bit unorthodox for me to be ranting about, because I usually avoid discussing politics by all means for this very reason.

I was brought up to be open-minded to everything and to never impose my opinions on others. To go into an academic environment as sheltered as a classroom and witness my teacher proclaiming her political beliefs, as if everyone automatically subscribes to them as a prerequisite to the class, is absolutely absurd, if not appalling.

I’m not trying to Obama-bash or anything with this letter; quite the contrary. I am just, as a means of protecting the few underrepresented students on campus, trying to urge a less obtrusive way of going about political debate.

If you wouldn’t think twice about judging someone based on their sexuality or religion, you shouldn’t based on their political party, either.

– Samantha Shokin ‘12