In the time leading up to National Conservative Coming Out Day, I had looked forward to many quotes that I could use to illustrate more lefty absurdity. I was not disappointed. I did, however, find some unexp ected concern about the issue from other, more reasonable, people on the left who do see the problem of bias. The irony of the event is that apparently the progressive groups did far more advertising of the event than the Illinois Conservative Union did.

When Colin Bishop, member of PRIDE, pilfered the e-mail on Conservative Coming Out Day, he became incensed. The call for help went out from PRIDE and the Feminist Majority. They believed the e-mail was derogatory towards women and homosexuals and sent spies to the planning meetings. The University office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender concerns also encouraged a protest.

Even University professor Al Kagan of the Center from African Studies took valuable time out from forwarding e-mails about racial cleansing in New Orleans in order to gather protesters against the Illinois Conservative Union. Does racism really exist if people like Kagan need to use fake stories about the federal government indiscriminately shooting black people in New Orleans? Perhaps the problem is people who engage in rampant fear-mongering, saying that white people sit around in sheets waiting for the next time to shoot a black person. Why don’t we talk about that bigotry?

How do they decide to counteract this alleged act of bigotry, hatred and misogyny? Most were at the rally in silent protest. I choose to focus on the ones who made noise. Speaking on the event, Chris Perardi who is a senior member of PRIDE said on his blog, “It’s too bad I can’t go bust some skulls.” PRIDE has distanced themselves from such violent rhetoric by saying he didn’t mean it. Yet, they insist that the Illinois Conservative Union meant the triangle symbol as a Nazi reference (I invoke Godwin’s Law). Perhaps it has more to do with the fact that the chosen LGBT symbol is also an upside down triangle.

In a press release Jon Monteith said, “This isn’t even a conservative event – it’s a project designed by the same people who think women should have never left the kitchen.” He continues by saying “they’re like the crazy aunt you try to ignore at all of the family get-togethers.” Gee, no stereotyping there at all. One protester wore a shirt with a picture of President Bush which had the slogan, “King of the Crackers.” A “cracker” is, of course, a racial slur against white people. So much for ethnic tolerance.

Eric Naing’s hyperventilating rant on Monday even further presses the point. He states, “after all their sophomoric bellyaching, the only real form of oppression these campus conservatives can draw upon is the dubious threat of liberal professors.” I presented some facts in my article last week; I guess he didn’t read that.

Students have been kicked out of class, kicked off campus and had their grades docked for being conservative. Yet letters come into the Daily Illini which say because conservatives run the country liberals are entitled to kick them around on campus. This is apparently because they can come up with no intelligent argument to counteract conservative principles. They are left with addressing all areas of political disagreement as if they are moral failings of their opponents instead of a difference of opinion.

On the positive side, several members of the protest did express concerns that discrimination on any basis besides academics is unacceptable. These people have a consistent position. The University is for the debating and developing of ideas and other considerations have no place in those discussions. Many people got the point, it’s time to take back the marketplace of ideas and return it to what it should be – a healthy and vigorous, yet civil debate. For those who think that clubbing your political opponents to death is acceptable I say, “Don’t get stuck on stupid.”

John Bambenek is a graduate student and a University employee. His column appears every Friday. He can be reached at [email protected].