Reed Magazine May 2004
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uncivil discourse title

A tolerance for differences

Osman Balkan image

Are Reedies intolerant of religious affiliations and some of the other trappings of more conservative political views? That Reed is politically liberal would seem to be understood, but even that definition slips and slides.

Political science major Osman Balkan '05, for example, finds the Reed campus to be liberal only in the Democrats-for-Kerry sense. "It is sort of embarrassing to think that this is what liberalism in America means," he says, "but that's the nature of the political spectrum in this country today."

Sammy Hidalgo '05, a political science and philosophy major, says there is no question liberals dominate the campus. "I've only known two Republicans at Reed," he says. "Neither talked about politics. One was a social conservative and would never ever say anything."

"I would guess we have more registered Democrats than Republicans among students," Professor of History and Humanities Jacqueline Dirks '82 says, "but I think students would be surprised by the political beliefs of some of their professors; many supported the initial invasion of Iraq. There are numbers of vocal students who declare themselves libertarians, while others profess to be too disillusioned with political parties to do anything but decline to vote."

Seyram Butame '08, a first-year student from Ghana, used to consider himself a liberal. "The way I understood the word ‘liberal' was ‘being able to tolerate differences' whilst ‘conservatives' were intolerant," he says. "Perhaps it is because of the period that I've been here, but I would define Reed as being almost intolerant—so much so that people who consider themselves moderate are intimidated to speak their minds."

However the variables are framed, the tilt is clearly to the left. Other recent examples of liberal passions are Quest articles protesting what the authors feel are a too-conservative commencement speaker, and letters to the editor of Reed expressing outrage about articles on right-leaning alumni. But another measure of left-wing politics is the feelings of vulnerability and isolation conservative students say they experience when they try to talk politics.

One way Reedies express their intolerance, according to Casana, is mockery. "It's not a dialogue or a debate, it's not even shouting. It's making fun, undermining any legitimacy of the other viewpoint." In that sense, he says, "The dogmatic liberal is similar to the dogmatic Christian—intolerant, severely critical and hostile—out of a conviction that it's the right thing to do."

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Osman Balkan '05

 
hidalgo image

Sammy Hidalgo '05

 
Jacqueline Dirks '82 image

Jacqueline Dirks '82

 
butame image

Seyram Butame '08

 

 

   
Reed Magazine May

2004