In light of the recent shift in Congress, our copy chief has written a features piece highlighting conservative voices on campus. The story takes a look at the opinions of those lone Republicans who roam our ever-so-blue campus. It is this piece of the puzzle—as the sole conservative on the editorial board—that I would like to explore.

I, an admittedly uninformed citizen, am conservative for one key reason. As an aspiring midwife, I have a passion for the miracle of what is a growing life in the body of every pregnant woman. I marvel at pregnancy and truly believe that each little baby is so very precious. This is such a strong principle for me that I just could not envision myself voting for someone with opposing beliefs to lead the country. That is my thought process—no matter how rigid it is, it is who I am.

It’s true that I would hate to imagine anyone at this school thinking that I am a die-hard Republican who is ready to run out the immigrants and name my child after George Bush. But that fear, I think, is an important issue. I find myself reacting physically—sweating, an increased heart rate­­—when I am in a classroom with a professor who has vehemently liberal ideas and is aggressively shouting them in a room full of students who agree wholeheartedly. I value my peers and their willingness to change what I also believe to be a fairly screwed-up society. However, at times I feel so overcome by their zealousness that if I were to dare raise an opposing opinion, pitchforks would come my way.

So, in a school that champions diversity and the ability to question and discern, I ironically keep my mouth shut.

­–Emily Hedberg, Sports & Opinion Editor