Picture this: You’re in one of your political science, history or philosophy classes. Things are going well until the professor asks a politically charged question to the class. You know you’re in the extreme ideological minority, because the professor and 98 percent of the class hold the same beliefs.
What do you do? Do you state your views and face the imminent onslaught of criticism, judgment and condemnation? Or do you keep quiet and let your ideologically lock-stepped classmates spew earnestly held but factually inaccurate rhetoric?
For many conservatives on campus, this happens more often than not. We’re a very small minority at UF that constantly has to deal with professors, classmates and caped communists looking to disregard our views.
But luckily for us, a new student group is trying to change that. Keira Lyn Hornyak, the Florida Field director and UF chapter leader of Turning Point USA, is leading the charge for conservatism on campus.
Although she was initially hesitant to start a Turning Point chapter in Gainesville, Hornyak believes championing conservative beliefs and at times “enlightening” her fellow peers has been “completely worth it.”
She started the group’s UF chapter to “open a dialogue that hasn’t been there for a while. You don’t see a lot of conservatism on campus.” She tables on Turlington Plaza, where she bravely faces off against UF’s united proletarian front and conducts a few meetings.
Now, as a frequent attendee of infrequent conservative gatherings on campus, I decided to go to one of Turning Point’s meetings last week. The meeting room in Matherly Hall was filled with fliers, posters and booklets promoting truth, justice and the American way. I mean, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was on one poster, so that has to be true. The meeting even had a self-professed “social democrat” in attendance.
The event focused on conservative activism on campus with a special emphasis on promoting and defending capitalism. After each well-constructed point Hornyak made on behalf of the free-market system — and there were a lot of them — the social democrat opined with his views. Conservatives know liberals like to hear themselves talk.
Impressively, Hornyak, as well as the 20 students in attendance, continually refuted each one of the social democrat’s penetrating questions. This happened for an hour. I haven’t seen this kind of takedown since the 1984 presidential election.
Immediately, I knew this group was special. I haven’t seen a group this smart on campus in a while. And when you’re in the ideological minority, you have to be able to defend your beliefs all the time. Remember the classroom scenario?
Not only is Hornyak winning over minds with cold hard facts, she’s also winning over hearts, especially when she talks with foreign students. “Their faces light up when they see our table,” a table filled with signs like “#BigGovSucks” and “I Love Capitalism.” Some of these students come from countries like Venezuela and Cuba that have seen the negative effects of big government. They’re so happy to see a group embracing their beliefs. Big government is often the reason they’re now in the U.S.
I asked Hornyak if she was optimistic about the future of conservatism on campus. As a leader of one of the rising center-right groups on campus, she was unsurprisingly optimistic. But after seeing the Turning Point crew in action, I find myself more optimistic, too.
Hornyak’s leading a group of conservatives more intelligent, impassioned and willing to shake up campus to an extent I haven’t seen before. They love what they’re doing and are happily facing UF’s liberal majority.
All I can say is liberals better watch out. Your days in the majority might be numbered.
Michael Beato is a UF political science senior. His column appears on Mondays.
