The Miami University Code of Love and Honor contains a line that reads, “I respect… the dignity, rights, and property of others and their right to hold and express disparate beliefs.”
This line, like the rest of the code, reflects honorable values that all institutions and people should strive to emulate.
How well have we followed that code? Specifically, how well have we followed that line?
Unfortunately, our student government, many student organizations, and some members of the faculty and administration do not seem to believe those are values worth following.
Since jumping into political life at Miami University, I have noticed that the approach to beliefs that challenge mainstream orthodoxy is not one of respect, but rather of intimidation and suppression. It is understandable that campus tension would rise in the midst of a pandemic, a contentious election, and political unrest, but stories I hear from fellow conservatives who were here before any of the chaos of 2020 indicate that this problem runs much deeper.
Members of the College Republicans are regularly slandered as racists by their counterparts in the College Democrats. Students for Life routinely has its displays vandalized and its members harassed on social media. Associated Student Government forces conservatives out of its ranks while its liberal members mock and disparage those who think differently. Certain faculty members belittle and insult conservative students, causing many to conceal their beliefs to earn an A in their classes. As all of this unfolds, the administration sits on its hands, pretending nothing is wrong. To add to these problems, conservative views receive little representation in an already established student media. Most conservative students feel they have no voice.
This period in our lives should be dedicated to inquiry and the pursuit of truth. Universities should encourage this instead of serving as the training grounds for leftist culture warriors. The problem is not left-wing bias alone, but rather the intolerance and bullying of students who express right-leaning viewpoints. Most conservative students are perfectly fine with having their ideas challenged at a liberal university. However, we are not fine with the silencing of our ideas or the inaccurate, malicious framing of our character.
That is why we created The Miami Patriot. If the student body is to truly embody the Code of Love and Honor, conservatives must be able to express their views without fear of cancellation, and The Miami Patriot will give them the outlet to do exactly that. Our intention is not to become an echo chamber or a propaganda machine, but rather to be an alternative to the media which already exists at Miami. We hope that by giving conservatives a voice and telling the stories that others refuse to tell, we can advance dialogue on campus.
We also hope to foster a resurgence of patriotism. The ideas behind the identity politics which dominate campus discourse are the antithesis of America’s founding philosophy. American academic institutions should prepare students to be the next leaders of our civilization, not to reject the foundations that make it great. Unfortunately, there is reason to be concerned that the latter is occurring at Miami.
As indicated by Associated Student Government’s pattern of mistreatment of conservatives, the student leadership at Miami does not respect the principles of free speech, a cornerstone of our republic. Just a few months ago, faculty covered a statue of George Washington in Alumni Hall with a tarp, proving that even our nation’s founder is too problematic to celebrate in today’s politically correct culture. Miami often pushes intersectionality, a theory which encourages self-victimization and tribalism while contradicting our national motto, “E pluribus unum,” or “Out of many, one.” Furthermore, left-wing student organizations have turned to promoting the economically illiterate and fundamentally un-American ideals of socialism while demonizing their opposition.
It is essential that there is a strong, patriotic voice to challenge the radical narratives that have become mainstream within academia. Ideas that began decades ago in the counterculture on college campuses have now hijacked the culture and seek to silence dissent at American universities. Miami is no exception to this disturbing trend. When silenced, students who still believe in America’s founding principles must create alternative avenues to share their ideas and stories. The emergence of a new campus counterculture that defends patriotism and pushes back against the status quo is long overdue.
Our goal is not to create conflict. We would rather engage in civil dialogue, which is how we all should conduct ourselves both in a republic and at an institution of higher learning. However, based on the past behavior of the campus left, we expect that we will face harassment, intimidation, and attempts to silence us. To guarantee that we can publish our content in spite of harsh opposition, we exist independent of the university or any campus organization.
The Miami Patriot will provide a blend of honest news and strong conservative opinion, both of which Miami needs. Our mission statement explains that we strive to “promote intellectual freedom, conservative values, and a patriotic spirit” at Miami.
Do I expect our alarming situation to change overnight? Of course not. We are embarking on a long and challenging journey. Sooner or later we need to move closer to a climate in which we all respect “the dignity, rights, and property of others and their right to hold and express disparate beliefs” as the Code of Love and Honor states.
The Miami Patriot is a crucial step toward that goal, and we can achieve it by fostering dialogue, promoting intellectual diversity and freedom, and changing students’ hearts and minds.