A Step in the Right Direction: Federal Funding and First Amendment

On March 21st, President Trump signed an Executive Order to protect free speech on college campuses. It is called “Executive Order on Improving Free Inquiry, Transparency, and Accountability at Colleges and Universities.” Many are confused about the need for it. The confusion revolves around the fact that public universities are required to adhere to the First Amendment when they receive federal funding.

NBC News, in its reporting of the story, said this executive order was “merely symbolic” and might hurt free speech by forcing campuses to bring in differing viewpoints which they consider extreme. This is not a surprising argument coming from the leftist media. It is surely used by the majority of Liberal professors. Constitutionalism, Judeo-Christianity, and America’s great history are being pushed to the fringe. President Trump’s executive order is a threat to their coveted narrative.

Shapiro Analysis Resonates

The future of America is ultimately vested in the younger generation. This is why taking a hold of the ideology of the youth is a strategic tactic for the Democrat Party. Institutional bias is one of the primary issues covered in Ben Shapiro’s 2014 book, Bullies: How the Left’s Culture of Fear and Intimidation Silences America. In the book, Shapiro discusses the suppression of conservative thought on college campuses. As a university student, I can vouch for this.

It is exhausting to deal with the lack of discourse on campuses.

I agree with his analysis of what’s going on in classrooms and on campuses. I had the “pleasure” of taking a gender psychology class. When discussing gender differences in development, my teacher scoffed when I brought up basic biology and genetics. To further the teacher’s crazy narrative, a major theme of the class was how toxic masculinity and male behavior is the only contributing factor in disrupting the dynamic between men and women. Further, the professor seemingly enjoyed demonizing men in nearly every lecture.

Responding to Attacks on Constitutional Values

Movements like Turning Point USA and Young Americans for Freedom were a motivated response to the transparent attack on constitutional values and reason in classrooms all over the country. Students are craving an opportunity to depart from the liberal bubble. They want to be able to think and discuss ideas freely.

Exemplifying the campus bubble, I offer the following true story. The day after President Trump was elected, my private university’s administration sent out an e-mail. It highlighted the counseling services offered on campus. How narrow minded does a University have to be to assume there is unanimous dismay toward a president’s election when he was democratically elected?

The University Conservative Founded

Six months ago, I founded The University Conservative. The positive response to granting a platform to conservative students and social media users was encouraging. Instantaneously, students took advantage of the new welcoming opportunity presented to them. They are now writing articles as well as discussing conservative and value-based ideas.

The demand to be freed from tech-censorship is increasing. Suppression of conservative ideas in academia is evident. President Trump recognizes it. At this point, the Executive Order’s legal pathway and implementation is unknown.

None the less, it is surely a positive first step in changing the atmosphere on college campuses. It is exhausting to deal with the lack of discourse on campuses. I, along with many others who value the First Amendment and the Founder’s ideals salute President Trump for protecting viewpoints of both sides.