In recent weeks, there have been several individuals and groups in Wolf Plaza that have been shouting reactionary Christian views. Most students pass by without paying them much mind because no matter how absurd their messages get, we recognize their right to make their message known.
NC State does a lot better than most colleges at fostering a diverse political environment, and most dialogue has, in my experience, been productive and respectful. At the same time, it’s important we uphold the standard of the free exchange of ideas because it’s where so many other colleges fall short.
College is ideally a place where one can challenge assumptions and compare their preconceived notions alongside others. That means accepting perspectives that are uncomfortable. On this count, NC State is already far ahead of other American universities, as our mix of right- and left-leaning students is more balanced than well-known and prestigious institutions like Harvard.
However, there can still be an absence of intermingling perspectives at NC State.
For example, Technician itself has pages filled with content from great writers, but we’re overwhelmingly left-leaning. A conservative student who wants to join the paper to bridge the gap might find such an environment daunting.
If NC State can still be this politically bifurcated, I cannot imagine what it’s like at other universities.
While this particular paradigm negatively impacts conservative students, it’s just as harmful to liberal and left-leaning students. If such a student passes through college without running into any opposing views, they won’t be able to develop a robust worldview and will remain insulated from those perspectives. This process can have real-world consequences.
I grew up in a relatively liberal neighborhood in Chapel Hill. There was an air of confidence that Donald Trump was never going to win the presidency. Everyone was certain he was too extreme and too aggressive. And yet, tens of millions of people showed up to vote for him.
Would the event have been as shocking — or happened at all — if there was not a divide that forced each side into their own bubble? If liberal students don’t befriend or understand conservatives and vice versa, can we expect to understand each other at all?
When right-wing Trump supporter Charlie Kirk showed up to give a talk on campus in 2019, he was protested by hundreds of students, resulting in clashes between conservatives and members of the Young Democratic Socialists of America.
Of course, it’s well within the rights of individuals to protest the talk. However, protesting this way only creates more polarization. Kirk represented the views of tens of millions of Americans. I find his message to be reprehensible and wrong, but if that is the case, it should be easy to refute, rather than shut down entirely.
This conduct also creates left- and right-wing students who cannot understand each other’s perspectives, let alone befriend one another.
Not only does it contribute to the separation of the American people into bubbles, but it cheapens discourse and goes against the principles of free speech. For the former, refusing to hear the other side results in each side cultivating its own toxic echo chamber. The latter principle has been the backbone of our democracy.
Ultimately, the right to free speech was what allowed the Democratic Socialists of America to gain a foothold in this liberal, capitalist nation. In an alternate universe, they could just as easily have been shouted down and similar echo chambers would have been formed.
As a liberal, I do wish the elements of the Republican Party represented by Charlie Kirk were irrelevant. But they simply are not. They are not going anywhere, and ignoring them will not help turn the tides.
As universities across America become more polarized, it is on everyone, but particularly those with the majority viewpoint, to engage with the other side. The frustration of being unable to express one’s true beliefs due to fear of repercussions crosses ideological lines. It is up to each and every one of us to step up.
So while the reactionary visitors at Wolf Plaza may be easy to laugh off, we must apply the same tolerance to perspectives that are more politically charged and controversial if we are going to stay true to our democratic principles.
