Frustrated by conservative activism on college campuses, the Left has unveiled secret weapons to counter our Ann Coulters and Ben Steins: Ashley Olsen and Oprah Winfrey. Keisha Senter, speakers' bureau coordinator for Campus Progress, introduced the groups newest stars at its recent and first-ever national student conference.
Campus Progress, a project of billionaire George Soross Center for American Progress (CAP), seeks to empower a new generation of progressive leaders. Leftist organizers admit to being overwhelmed on the college front by groups such as the Young Americas Foundation, even though colleges and universities have been propagating liberalism for decades.
According to CAPs former campus programs director Ben Hubbard, A national effort to work with students on the substance, intellectual foundation, and communication of progressive ideas is needed. With the realization that food-throwing doesnt win debates, as was demonstrated by certain assailants of Ann Coulter, Pat Buchanan, Bill Kristol, and David Horowitz earlier this academic year, leftists have finally organized a conference to discuss ideas or so is their spin.
For the past 30 years on college campuses, the Left has been regurgitating concepts that do not work: socialist, pacifist, redistributionist you get the tired old idea. Instead of injecting some fresh thinking into the young left-activist bloodstream, panelists at Campus Progresss national student conference rehashed big-government policies, drew ridiculous parallels, and conveyed embarrassing talking points.
Moderator and former Clinton White House Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers asked a panel to define progressive values. Paul Begala, host of CNNs Crossfire, told of the value of progressive patriotism. He graciously went on to elaborate using an analogy: Cain said, am I my brothers keeper? You bet your ass, God said. Begala continued by saying that Republicans reject his celestial wisdom and instead come from the mindset: Im going to get mine screw you! Another panelist, Thomas Frank, the author of Whats the Matter with Kansas?, said progressive values are freedom plus groceries. Heather McGhee, economic-policy analyst with Demos a left-wing public-policy group said progressives value shared prosperity. Students seeking guidance were given socialist solutions, which are no longer charming not even in Russia.
At universities, conservatives are no stranger to being called "Nazis." Thomas Frank decided to keep that spirit alive. According to him, They [Republicans] didnt have any problem with Hitler, other than the fact that they thought he rocked.
One young progressive asked how to campaign in the suburbs. He was not given an answer, but a specious sound bite. Its difficult to campaign in those areas, said Ruy Teixeira, author of The Emerging Democratic Majority. They are not our base the white married couples who moved away from the cities to get away from minorities and smog.
David Halperin, senior adviser for Howard Deans presidential bid and the conference coordinator, bemoans the millions of dollars having been spent instigating conservative activism on college campuses. He told the Washington Post that Weve been on the defensive for 25 years. Yet he and other liberals routinely miss the fact that groups such as Campus Progress are wholly unnecessary. The counterpart to organizations such as the Young Americas Foundation is the university itself.
Schools habitually offer courses in ethnic studies, queer studies, gender studies and have set up institutions such as multicultural student unions and womens centers to spread liberalism under the rubric of tolerance and diversity. Its a canard to say that liberalism is not embedded in the university, as Campus Progress purports. Schools dont have courses on Conservatism and American History and surely would never invite Thomas Sowell or Clarence Thomas to speak at commencement, but have allowed Wesley Clark and Thomas Friedman.
Its not the lack of resources, but the tactics used and ideas professed that cause student apathy toward progressive activism. The Lefts routine support for divisive concepts such as racial preferences, the banning of ROTC recruiters from campuses, and their widespread commitment to enforcing political correctness will keep them as second-rate activists. Soross millions will not help.
Liberals had their chance at this conference to discuss something original. Unfortunately, they took the occasion to cast aspersions on conservatism with empty, dubious, and hateful rhetoric.
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/mattera200507180812.asp
Campus Progress, a project of billionaire George Soross Center for American Progress (CAP), seeks to empower a new generation of progressive leaders. Leftist organizers admit to being overwhelmed on the college front by groups such as the Young Americas Foundation, even though colleges and universities have been propagating liberalism for decades.
According to CAPs former campus programs director Ben Hubbard, A national effort to work with students on the substance, intellectual foundation, and communication of progressive ideas is needed. With the realization that food-throwing doesnt win debates, as was demonstrated by certain assailants of Ann Coulter, Pat Buchanan, Bill Kristol, and David Horowitz earlier this academic year, leftists have finally organized a conference to discuss ideas or so is their spin.
For the past 30 years on college campuses, the Left has been regurgitating concepts that do not work: socialist, pacifist, redistributionist you get the tired old idea. Instead of injecting some fresh thinking into the young left-activist bloodstream, panelists at Campus Progresss national student conference rehashed big-government policies, drew ridiculous parallels, and conveyed embarrassing talking points.
Moderator and former Clinton White House Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers asked a panel to define progressive values. Paul Begala, host of CNNs Crossfire, told of the value of progressive patriotism. He graciously went on to elaborate using an analogy: Cain said, am I my brothers keeper? You bet your ass, God said. Begala continued by saying that Republicans reject his celestial wisdom and instead come from the mindset: Im going to get mine screw you! Another panelist, Thomas Frank, the author of Whats the Matter with Kansas?, said progressive values are freedom plus groceries. Heather McGhee, economic-policy analyst with Demos a left-wing public-policy group said progressives value shared prosperity. Students seeking guidance were given socialist solutions, which are no longer charming not even in Russia.
At universities, conservatives are no stranger to being called "Nazis." Thomas Frank decided to keep that spirit alive. According to him, They [Republicans] didnt have any problem with Hitler, other than the fact that they thought he rocked.
One young progressive asked how to campaign in the suburbs. He was not given an answer, but a specious sound bite. Its difficult to campaign in those areas, said Ruy Teixeira, author of The Emerging Democratic Majority. They are not our base the white married couples who moved away from the cities to get away from minorities and smog.
David Halperin, senior adviser for Howard Deans presidential bid and the conference coordinator, bemoans the millions of dollars having been spent instigating conservative activism on college campuses. He told the Washington Post that Weve been on the defensive for 25 years. Yet he and other liberals routinely miss the fact that groups such as Campus Progress are wholly unnecessary. The counterpart to organizations such as the Young Americas Foundation is the university itself.
Schools habitually offer courses in ethnic studies, queer studies, gender studies and have set up institutions such as multicultural student unions and womens centers to spread liberalism under the rubric of tolerance and diversity. Its a canard to say that liberalism is not embedded in the university, as Campus Progress purports. Schools dont have courses on Conservatism and American History and surely would never invite Thomas Sowell or Clarence Thomas to speak at commencement, but have allowed Wesley Clark and Thomas Friedman.
Its not the lack of resources, but the tactics used and ideas professed that cause student apathy toward progressive activism. The Lefts routine support for divisive concepts such as racial preferences, the banning of ROTC recruiters from campuses, and their widespread commitment to enforcing political correctness will keep them as second-rate activists. Soross millions will not help.
Liberals had their chance at this conference to discuss something original. Unfortunately, they took the occasion to cast aspersions on conservatism with empty, dubious, and hateful rhetoric.
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/mattera200507180812.asp
