Oberlin is missing !!uumph!!

There seems to be only one out-of the-closet political party represented at Oberlin. Where are the young Republicans? Where are the students who believe that big government is a sign of apocalypse, the students who dog welfare for creating a state of cyclical dependency, especially in the minds and bellies of black women, the folk who really think that family values will reveal the unraveled fabric of the family, the folk who believe it takes a village to raise a child, the folk who don't think it's time to destroy the institution of marriage by allowing same sex marriages? Where you at? Many people will say that Oberlin doesn't attract that kind of student and if it does, they're locked in the con practice room or somewhere up on North campus.

Maybe, but ironically, many of those students are here waddling their liberal selves around this campus plastering themsleves and everything else with eclectic red, white, and blue Clinton-Gore stickers. Why? Because politically, the Democratic platform is conservative in a post Republican revolution age where a centered Clinton and a reluctant-to-act-his-age Dole are more shadows of each other than the violently opposing forces we would like them to be.

Like many colleges in the country, Oberlin is full of students who don't care about the political process. And many of these and other students align themselves with the candidate they heard they ideologically have, or are supposed to have, the most in common with. But unlike most campuses, the left is so entrenched, so understood to be indomitable, and the right, so meek, humble, and clown-like that those with so-called conservative American political views closet themselves ... Or are they even here? It doesn't seem that farfetched that Oberlin's history of leftist activism and publicized attempts at creating safe spaces for historically marginalized groups (groups often scapegoated for America's plight by many Republicans), attract and create politically homogenous globs of students espousing virtually the same recycled safe American politics.

All that withstanding, open mindedness doesn't mean liberal anymore than it means conservative. This is as true on the national level as it is true in Oberlin.

The want to listen, critique and voice unpopular and popular opinions about everything from politics to odor to coolness with people we're afraid of is that !!umph!! that Oberlin's missing. Republicans, Democrats, Anarchists, Nudists, Pan African Nationalists, humans - make some noise, listen and change this place ... please.