Success is a two-way street
I would like to take a moment to respond to the members of Young Conservatives of Texas or YCT.
As a staff member, I am able to see things from a different perspective. Being on the younger end of the spectrum and also a member of a minority group helps shape my perceptions as well. It seems to me that the issue with YCT isn’t its “conservatism,” as much as its childish pranks and completely inappropriate acts done under the guise of “Free Speech.”
I, for one, am almost offended that these gentlemen would presume to use the First Amendment to protect their right to violate the very policies in place that allow the exercise of Free Speech. While, yes, there may be some “assumptions” out there, let’s be honest, where there’s smoke there’s usually fire.
While I commend people in general for being politically involved, and working to promote a social agenda, I really don’t understand what the members of YCT expect to accomplish by race bashing, Minority seat infiltration, Earth Day protests, etc. Nor do I understand what they think they, as white, heterosexual—and probably Christian—males are in jeopardy of losing. How else can their conduct be explained? I don’t understand how these men can really be so threatened by someone getting ahead in life, especially people who probably haven’t had it as easy as they have.
That said, my impression of YCT is that of a bunch of whiners. I have yet to see a single positive advancement of “conservatism” at the hands of YCT. Why must it be a matter of degrading or attacking other groups (mostly minorities)? If this world were truly as race-blind and equal as YCT would like us to believe, wouldn’t their own group be a little less homogenized?
It’s a bit disingenuous for someone who has never dealt with the harsh realities of discrimination or economic disadvantage to sit back comfortably and judge those they perceive having had everything “handed” to them. Not to make my own presumptions or stereotypes on various minorities, but there are considerable roadblocks in place for many non-whites in America. No one said life would be all roses and duckies and candy, I just don’t see why people go out of their way to make life MORE difficult for others.
The truth is, for every deserving, hard-working minority individual given a chance at success, there are those within the majority who truly have things “handed” to them, either as a result of privilege, birth, connections or their skin color, and less as a result of hard work, determination, endurance and merit. The road, as they say, goes both ways. Perhaps if you removed yourself from your carefully constructed “box” of homogeny, you could see that simple truth. These minority seats in the Student Senate and Affirmative Action diversity initiatives have much less to do with bringing down whites, than with bringing up minorities of all kinds.
Maybe if YCT and their like-minded lent a helping hand in the community (if YCT has thus far, I have yet to hear of it), all of these conversations would be moot. If we are ever going to move beyond racism into a future when all Americans, black, white or polka-dot, can participate in the American Dream, don’t you think that people should contribute to the betterment of all men and women, not just those who are cut from the same expensive and exclusive cloth?
