In the heart of Salt Lake, you can spot a wild liberal in the jungle of the city, at any given moment. You may find one at a stop light with an equality sticker plastered to their Suburu. You may find one in your intro Sociology course with a Pro-Choice logo on their Mac. Or you may just find one at a local coffee shop wearing a “Love Wins” t-shirt paired with high-waisted mom jeans. And though I fit many of these laughable stereotypes as an active liberal myself, I recently found myself feeling trapped, and unsettlingly comfortable in my political bubble.
As a gender studies major living in a predominantly Democratic city, with an actively-feminist friend group, I wanted to step outside of my liberal box. So naturally, I turned to conservative group YAF (Young Americans for Freedom), where I was able to interview member Ashlyn Fox, to see what YAF was really about.
What are YAF’s main goals on campus?
The main mission of YAF on campus is to increase the number of young Americans who understand and are inspired by the ideas of individual freedom, a strong National defense, free enterprise, and traditional values. In addition to these staple points, we also help to bring a balance to a predominantly liberal campus. We work to bring conservative speakers to campus, while this is an enriching educational experience for those who attend, it’s also a great opportunity for open discussions. The only way to fully understand differing opinions is to have an open dialogue to try to view, appreciate, and discuss opposing views.
What are some common misconceptions surrounding YAF?
That we’re strictly a political club. While we are mainly focused on conservative issues, we also have campus events that can appeal to everyone. One major project of YAF is the 9/11 Never Forget Project. This event is in place to properly give respect to those who lost their lives on 9/11.
What do you wish people knew about YAF?
One major thing that I think is extremely important is our history as a club. In the 1990s YAF was responsible for starting a campaign to protect Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs on campuses. Eventually led to the passage of an amendment in congress which now permanently protects ROTC programs on campuses across the Nation.
What are your feelings towards the drastic party polarization happening in today’s political climate?
Personally, I would say that much of the party polarization comes from the increase of internet based communication and social media. The use of internet has begun to replace the act of face to face discussion and I think that interpersonal understanding is lost. As a result, people are increasingly dogmatic about their opinions.
What does it mean to you to be Republican?
I feel that each person’s definition of their political following is different, due to the personal factors that go into this choice. What Republican means to me: I come from a working class family, where both my parents are veterans of the United States Navy. Coming from a military family, I am a huge supporter of a strong National defense. Free speech is a staple of the American Democracy and so is the right to bear arms, because every individual has the right to protect themselves from harm. I am grateful to be an American and live in a country where we are all born with personal freedoms.
Do you believe your experience as a woman in YAF is different than the experience of a man?
As a young woman in YAF, I feel as though each individual has been treated with equity regardless of gender. YAF doesn’t discriminate against any gender, race, SES, ability… etc. With that being said, I don’t think it’s really about gender at all, I believe that it’s about the work I put in as a member of YAF and how I can make a positive impact on campus.
So while the opportunities for liberals to band together are seemingly endless on Utah campus, we need to encourage equal opportunities for those who may never have an equality sticker on their bumper. And though I am still the Democrat who rolls their eyes and scoffs, “ew Republicans,” from time-to-time, political divisiveness and party polarization is not the answer to our problems, as much as we sometimes wish it was.
If you’re interested in attending meetings, or want to show your support, follow their Facebook page here. or visit their national website for more information!
Photo Source: 1 (Personal Image), 2