ANALYSIS/OPINION:

Last week, I had the opportunity to speak at the American Conservative Union’s Conservative Political Action Conference, commonly known as CPAC. I spoke on a panel titled “Facts, Not Feelings: Snowflakes, Safe Spaces and Trigger Warnings,” sharing my story about how I was the recipient of leftist attacks at Ohio State University’s law school.

I talked to the audience about how I was harassed, targeted and threatened by fellow students and administrators after writing a column in The Washington Times about abortion in the black community, a clearly very relevant and important issue in today’s society. I explained how these attacks continued for months and how I refused to back down.

Some people in the audience knew my story, while others were hearing it for the first time last week. But, for me, the most important part of the day was knowing that I was not the only person in the room at CPAC who had been there before. Like me, so many people in that room had dealt with this on their campuses or had seen this happen on the campuses of their children, grandchildren, family or friends.

It was a moment of unity. I could feel the connection with my fellow panelists and audience members. I knew that so many of these conservatives were there at CPAC because they had not backed down in the name of bullying and political correctness, but stood up for free speech and tolerance.

Together, we have seen the negative effects of safe spaces in every state in our nation. We have attempted to share truth, with little success, to our overly sensitive liberal members of society. But, unlike the millions of others like us that are out there, there are many more who have been bullied into silence by unfair leftist administrations, an abundance of safe spaces and an increasing number of snowflakes.

These troubling trends aren’t disappearing, which is why as young conservatives and leaders of this movement, we must unite and call for action. The future of conservatism is at stake. The future of this nation is at stake, and now, more than ever before, we must not back down.

Young conservatives must not be afraid to voice their opinions and must refuse to be stifled by the unwillingness of others to accept political views and religious beliefs different from their own.

We must stand up for what is moral and what is right. We must speak truth. We must never be silenced. The future of our nation depends on it.

• Madison Gesiotto is the former Regional Press Secretary for the 58th Presidential Inaugural Committee and a political commentator who appears frequently on Fox News Channel. She is currently in the final year of pursuing her J.D. at The Michael E. Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University. You can reach her by email at contact@madisongesiotto.com or follow her on Twitter @madisongesiotto.