Scare tactics and name-calling have gotten the best of us.

A common concern and rant of your typical conservative pundit is that professors and other educators in our country are too liberal and abusive of their power. The most visible preacher on this issue is my personal favorite, David Horowitz.

David Horowitz has made a name for himself by touring every university that he can, “informing” students that their professors are “totalitarian leftist radicals.”

Organizations such as Students for Academic Freedom have sparsely popped up across the country. This campus is not an exception. The first Students for Academic Freedom Conference took place early in April of this year. Members of liberal group Campus Progress attended the event and found it was simply a Horowitz conference as he placed himself on many of the panels.

When Horowitz was asked why there weren’t any liberal students on any of the panels he said, “You’re the AFT [American Federation of Teachers,] you won’t stick up to it; you’re too busy defending Sami al-Aryan and other terrorists,” according to Campus Progress. Yet again, the political bias he presented on these panels is just the bias he is accusing professors of presenting.

A small branch of the Students for Academic Freedom organization has made this University their home a few times in the past after having disbanded and reorganized again, and I find them to be completely unnecessary. I have certainly taken my fair share of political science classes at this University and unfortunately, I have not once heard a professor speak from a “political soapbox.” Personally, I would love to hear my professor’s political leanings regardless of which side they choose. It would save me a lot of time researching and trying to pinpoint where they stand.

The reason they don’t actually do this could be one of two things. One, they don’t like to teach that way and prefer to be unbiased; or two, they have been scared into keeping quiet by movements and accusations such as these.

I think the majority of professors, – not just at this University – like to run an unbiased classroom where all opinions are welcome. But I also believe this fear of a “liberal bias,” is in the back of their minds and squanders the real passion and emotion they may otherwise show.

The conservatives they have placed in the spotlight have done such an incredible job of stamping all educated entities with this liberal bias tag that profs are shaking in their boots. They have made them feel that if they present any liberal opinion or even liberal information, they are not presenting an educated, fair viewpoint and are thus not worth listening to. The worst affected of these is not professors, but the media. If I could sit through one Ann Coulter interview without her stating the words “liberal bias in the media” I would turn conservative (just kidding.)

The most biased media station in the country is Fox News. It is so obviously conservative that they even call elections early. If you want to know more about it, just rent “Outfoxed.”

It is these hypocritical tactics that are winning the attention of many. Be as loud and as accusatory as possible; get all the attention; and scare everyone into conforming, but continue to be the best at what you’re accusing everyone of.

It is my belief that the media and our educators should do as some conservatives do and take hold of a position of power. Use it to fill minds with the truth. I look to my professors for advice and instruction because they are the experts. They are much more educated than I and can give me an educated point of view. I will inevitably come to my own opinion just as any individual should. And if you’re too weak and scared to do so then maybe you shouldn’t be at a university.

Conservatives, why not take on these educated positions that are controlled by liberals? Until then you’re just going to have to deal with it.

Send comments to Amanda at [email protected].