Imagine this scene: a hundred college students in the studio audience of CNN's Crossfire, waiting for the show to begin. The day's topic is Who is the Greatest American President? Before the lights dim and the cameras start rolling, the hosts, Paul Begala and Robert Novak, survey the audience.
They ask, How many of you think our greatest president was Abraham Lincoln? Honest Abe elicits only a lukewarm response.
How many think the greatest president was Bill Clinton? Moderate clapping and cheers.
How many think the greatest president was Ronald Reagan?
Huge cheers. A few students even spring to their feet, clapping wildly to underscore their enthusiasm. The hosts don't press any further; the audience's choice for the title of Greatest American President is clear. I attended that taping of Crossfire four months ago, and as we approach the first anniversary of Reagan's death, June 5, nostalgia for the former president has intensified.
Why do so many young conservatives feel such profound admiration for Ronald Reagan? Inasmuch as even the oldest college students were in kindergarten when he left office in 1988, we don't remember him. Perhaps the fact that we never experienced Reagan firsthand is the reason he has become an iconic figure to the people born during his administration -and a hero to a growing band of college conservatives. Ever since the Baby Boomers came of age in the '60s and '70s, the common assumption has been that college students are more liberal than their parents. But for my generation, that's not necessarily true. Although liberals are still the majority, their ranks are thinning. According to The American Freshman survey, 38 percent of college freshmen identified themselves as liberals in 1971; in 2004, only 24 percent did. In comparison, the number of conservative freshmen has jumped from 14 percent to 21 percent in the same time period.
Look closely and you'll notice the subtle signs of this rightward shift. When our parents were in college, students wore black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. Today you won't see many armbands, but instead plenty of cars and backpacks adorned with yellow ribbons -a symbol of support for American troops. During the feminist movement, young women staged dramatic demonstrations in support of abortion rights. And today's girls? The first time I visited the upper floors of my sorority house, I was surprised to see Bush-Cheney campaign posters on several bedroom doors -and one room was nearly wallpapered with them.
What drives the generational turn to the right? One explanation is that, in a post-Sept. 11 nation, 1960s, feel-good liberalism is no longer practical. As young people, we witnessed the most devastating attack to occur on American soil. It traumatized us. The peacenik vision of singing Give Peace a Chance and disarming enemies with love and kindness is a nice dream, but we reject it as not only foolish, but potentially deadly. We can't deny the real threat of terrorism.
Another explanation is that college students have a natural desire to buck the system. It's no secret that liberal thought dominates almost every aspect of universities -from the administration to the student newspapers. Like the campus leftists of the previous generation, conservative students are eager to question authority. We argue with professors, write passionate letters to the local papers and join the College Republicans to meet other like-minded coeds. Our lack of representation fuels the fire. Talk to any conservative student and you'll find that we often view ourselves as an oppressed minority -constantly fighting to make our voices heard. And Ronald Reagan is our inspiration.
He is the best hero we can have. Unlike George W. Bush -criticized even by conservatives for being too divisive -Reagan was the Great Communicator, speaking of the shining city upon a hill and restoring hope to a nation. He led us out of the late 1970s darkness and into a decade of peace and prosperity -something that my generation might not experience again for a long time.
I often think back to last June, the night Ronald Reagan was buried in California. I was at a sports bar frequented by college students. On a typical night, the place is crowded and noisy, but there was near silence as we watched the burial on the big-screen TVs. As the casket was lowered, I noticed a young 20-something man with tears in his eyes.
Where are all the Ronald Reagans today? he asked no one in particular. I don't even remember him. But I know we won't ever have another president like Reagan.
The rest of us nodded knowingly.
-Ashley Herzog is a freshman journalism major. Send her an e-mail at ah103304@ohiou.edu.
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