A revolution in thought is fast approaching this university. Some may call it a civil war of identical philosophies; others may call it a mere reaction against a passing inconvenience. Both of these perspectives are limited by their own inherent lack of perspective. The American Revolution was hardly about taxes. Likewise, this revolution is hardly about mere dissent over ephemeral matters. It is based on the self-evident premise that we as students of this university are bound not by nature, but by our own independent desires that demand the interaction of those same independent desires. For this reason, the shackles of apathy will be shorn and the politics of ignorance and isolation will be utterly obliterated. Dialogue, not dissent, will free us from the prisons we impose on ourselves.
Dissent comes in many forms. These include malice, hatred, protest and violence. Most forms of dissent, including these, are initiated by one party for the purpose of demeaning or harming another. This 'negative' kind of disagreement occurs naturally, thus its prevalence is nearly overwhelming. It even exists on this campus, much to the dismay of administrators and student leaders who seek to eliminate malevolent intent on campus by creating cultural, ethnic, racial and sexual 'buckets' into which students are encouraged to congeal. One can hardly blame these leaders and administrators for doing so - this creates the sense of an inalienable bond among those within such groups that cannot be broken by mere personal opinion; for instance, one cannot truthfully deny that he or she is of a certain race. Furthermore, these 'buckets' are tied together with administrative ropes designed to include all who might otherwise feel estranged into a united front standing against, well, all those who disagree with the 'bucket' system. This has unforeseen and unintended consequences.
What happens to those whose common bond is not based on any kind of "natural state"? Unfortunately, they choose to "bucket" themselves, following a trend set forth by those in the highest echelons of power. However, these new factions are not linked by any higher authority. Thus, they regress to using natural means of dissent - malice, hatred and protest.
This is the deplorable state of student politics within Tufts University.
It is, in essence, a state of anarchic bodies constantly at war with each other. The danger is twofold. On one hand, there is no communication between rival factions, suffocating political dialogue. This in turn gives way to the rise of extremists who, in turn, solidify support in their respective bases by stifling internal debate. Moderates do not exist on this campus.
I offer another way. I believe the naturally occurring isolation of these factions may be transcended. I believe you are more than what the Democratic Party or Republican Party says you are. I believe you are a unique work capable of making up your own damn mind.
Enter TSAR - Tufts Students Allied to Reason. We are not Republicans. We are not Libertarians. We are not Objectivists. We are not minorities. We are not victims. We are individuals - individuals who want to talk, engage and coalesce with other individuals who have been forgotten by the establishments that have forgotten themselves. Our goal is to create an environment that impels these establishments to live. That is to say, we encourage these political establishments to consume the only food that may sustain them in any valid sense: dialogue.
You risk much by joining us. However, you risk more by doing nothing. By doing nothing, you condone the apathy, the stagnation and the ignorance that feeds the kind of negative sentiment expressed most accurately through certain entries in The Public Journal. By the way, I hope you guys put out more issues. The campus un/sub/semi-conscious is fascinating to me.
True, most of our members will probably see themselves as moderates or conservatives. But just as we choose to engage in a campus that is mostly liberal, I encourage y'all to make a connection with us.
Viva la revolucion.
Travis Brackin is a freshman majoring in political science.
