Oh no. Here they go again. The boys at The American Journal have come out with another issue declaring themselves the real conservatives on campus. For the uninitiated, this is their third issue in almost as many years, conveniently published during the last week of school, decrying the "Liberalism and Lethargy of the Post-Nardo CRs." Printed on the cheapest newsprint and with spelling and factual errors on many of its pages, The American Journal has come out against the conservative movement on campus, particularly the College Republicans.
Over the past two years, three issues of The American Journal, written by six fringe conservatives, have come out as the self-proclaimed true conservative voice on campus. Very impressive, boys. While College Republicans boasts a list-serv of 600 people and turns out between 50-100 people at meetings, they're still out there slaving away at an easily parodied, carefully constructed image of self-righteousness. Since the French claimed to win World War II and important nation status, there hasn't been a more sanctimonious group of ankle-biters than The American Journal crew.
As any rational person can see from the diversity of our programming, reading our Web log, our columnists in The Eagle or even The American Journal, there are various opinions and philosophies within the club. Two years ago we campaigned for liberal Republican Connie Morella; this year we campaigned for very conservative Republican Ernie Fletcher.
While the Journal insinuates that many of our members haven't heard of the conservative movement's intellectual godfathers like Edmund Burke and William F. Buckley, they are mistaken. They are even more mistaken if they think that all conservative thinkers are the same and that an ideological litmus test should be imposed to determine who's the most right wing and who's qualified to lead the club.
It would truly be a shame if a club with 600 members only represented the viewpoint of the deeply conservative Journal or, say, the liberal Republican Sen. Arlen Specter, because the debate would not only be narrow, but many people wouldn't even be compelled to join the Republican Party. The reason many of us are part of the Republican Party is not because of a rigid ideology, but because of the debates and philosophy within the club. We have paleo- and neoconservatives, traditional conservatives and conservatives who are new to the party.
This is reflected across the national conservative debate as well, with Pat Buchanan and The American Conservative magazine as the paleoconservatives, Rich Lowry and National Review as traditional conservatives and William Kristol and the Weekly Standard as neoconservatives. As any honest observer can see, the Republican Party and the conservative movement are much more complex than critics give us credit for.
When one peruses the pages of what amounts to a silly series of screeds, one can't help but imagine the pomposity of the Journal's writers and editors. Why resort to an ad hominem attack on CR leaders? If they're so upset about CRs not being a strictly conservative club, why haven't they formed their own strictly conservative club? Why not ask for time during the year to discuss problems or concerns about the club rather than grandstand at an election and publish an ill-informed series of insults one week before school ends? After all, CRs weren't conservative enough last year and they certainly aren't conservative enough this year, so how should our club conform to meet the demands of this narcissistic group?
The same way we've answered them in the past: ignoring them. Why? Just as parents stop answering kids who won't stop asking, "Are we there yet?" on family trips, we've stopped listening to this pitiful contingent. Similarly, no matter how many times one can present a menu of choices for getting involved in conservative causes, if you're unwilling to get involved, you're never going to get involved.
The members of the Journal only participated in a handful of events the whole year, but somehow feel qualified to pontificate on the substance of our events and activities. Our Web site lists the 60-plus events we had this year, which include campaigning in Kentucky, doing food drives, working for President George W. Bush, playing sports with the Democrats and working with conservative activists wherever we could find them. Yet the Journal would never be so good to say we did anything conservative this year.
Consider this: Of the Journal's writers and editors, only one was elected to a CR leadership position, one was kicked out of the GA, one was rejected for an SC position by the student body and one has earned the reputation as AU's leading chauvinist. Just like every other member of our club, members of the Journal are welcome to show up to events, submit suggestions and even run for the most important positions in CRs. Yet instead of taking the multitude of opportunities CRs have presented this year, their chosen method of communication is a libelous screed published days before the year has ended. Very brave, and also very telling.
In the meantime, here's the top 10 list of things to do with your copy of The American Journal. Enjoy!
Use TAJ to make a papier-mache float, as we did this year for Homecoming.
Use it as gift wrap for College Republican speakers Ed Walsh, David Kay, Clarence Carter, George Pataki and Christina Hoff Sommers.
Use it as an example of wasteful spending.
Recycle TAJ for all our flyers next year advertising Republicalooza.
Use it as toilet paper when we're campaigning all over the country and no bathroom is in sight.
Use it as kindling when we're helping out the homeless and they need to keep warm.
Use it as an umbrella at the Bush-Cheney rallies.
Use it as bases during kickball games when we're playing the College Democrats.
Use it for bookmarks for the CR Book club.
Use it as paper plates to hold pizza at the State of the Union party.
The American Journal: Where saying something stupid is the same thing as saying something profound.
David Hodges is a junior in the School of International Service and the managing editor for news. Mike Inganamort is a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs and president of the College Republicans.
The signatures below are all College Republicans solicited less than 48 hours after the Journal's publication: Anonymous #1, Anonymous #2, former Treasurer Jennifer Arver, Heather Blandford, Ryan Breslin, Christie Campo, Courtney Carter, Chris Cusmano, Trevor Dane, Joy Downey, Eliza Eddy, Erin Fagan, Ashley Garman, Abi Glenn-Chase, Vice President Alan Griffith, Phil Hartmann, Mark Hauser, former President Ibbie Hedrick, Sam Hicks, Kim Hudson, Matt Innes, Seth Johnson, Josh Kraushaar, Sarah Lander, Miranda Longstreth, Kristine Miller, Sarah Mashburn, Kate Oczypok, Christy Osowski, Danielle Pawlowski, Carlos Ramirez, Debbie Royal, John Sannar, former Treasurer Milla Savelieff, Caitlin Schetter, Ashley Schexnayder, Heather Schilling, Elizabeth Smith, Adam Stubitz, Hilary Styer, Jeremy Taylor, former SC President Nick Terzulli, Yvonne Tran, Marcelle Ulvert, Stephanie Visconti, former Secretary Evan Wagner, Treasurer Danielle Zook and Jeremy Zook
