In a recent Viewpoint ("Embracing Social Security reform," Feb. 3), Mike Schrimpf describes the Republican Party, in effect, as being composed of "progressive" and "compassionate" conservatives. For many of us a progressive compassionate conservative is the exact definition of an oxymoron. We should remember what "conservative" really means.
It was conservatives, at the end of the 18th century, who wanted to keep America as a British colony. It was conservatives in the 19th century who wanted to keep non-whites in slavery, as the Bible clearly showed they should be. It was conservatives who wanted to keep women from voting, or from participating in any part of society, except as household slaves. It was conservatives in the mid 20th century who wanted to keep non-whites from being full fledged citizens, opposed social security, and opposed women from having control of their bodies. And now at the beginning of the 21st century, it's conservatives who want to tear down the wall of church-state separation and turn America into a theocracy.
With such a record, is it any wonder there are few "conservatives" on college campuses. The Democratic Party has for the past 80 years eagerly embraced the "progressive" agenda, philosophically and politically. Today they are the only political party in this country that represents the progressive ideals of the Age of Enlightenment and the political ideals of the founders of this country. The Republican's blatant misuse of words to describe conservative policies and philosophies as "progressive," while practicing social and political conservatism, is a hoax that the American people would do well to reject.
Robert Kirk
E '97
