Letter: Conservative Christians dominate nation, UNM

Editor,

This letter is in response to the letter by Darren Wood on liberal and conservative views at UNM.

Given the conservative trend of both politics and daily interaction in this nation, it would be safe to say that liberal viewpoints are in the minority. Of course, when talking about politics, there will be gross generalizations made, such as, "Communism is good or evil," or, "Christians are right or wrong," and we must adjust these to reality as we come across them.

What is often overlooked when contemplating the current social roles of white males is, first, race does not exist. We are all part of the human race, though we may claim different ethnicities. Second, many of the professors accused of promoting these liberal biases are themselves white males. Third, being of a demographic of historical privilege in this nation will provoke the jealousy and animosity of members of different demographics. When looked at in a historical context, white men have ruled our nation since its colonization. Thus, it is safe to say that current policies and practices are the creation of white males.

In addition, pure communism, as promoted by its creator, has never been practiced. Communist countries, historically, have practiced a political organizational method loosely based on the ideas of Karl Marx, but have never been able to fully bring true communism to fruition. This is most likely because it must be practiced voluntarily by all members, and so far has effectively worked in only small commune-like settings. However, it is not fair to merely say, for example, communism has killed millions. Instead, it would be more accurate to say that Lenin, Stalin, Mao and their devout followers have killed millions.

Religion is a touchy, personal and often controversial subject. However, so far at UNM, I have seen a minimum of two pro-Christian organizations every day, while only seeing a Muslim group once, a Falun Dafa group once and absolutely no Pagan organizations or any other religious groups to stand as a counter balance to what seems to be a very pro-Christian campus.

So, the generalization that Wood makes, saying, "If you are Christian, you are viewed as an intolerant bigot," has no foundational support. I feel uncomfortable on this campus because I am not Christian.

So for all of the conservatives and Christians out there at UNM, worry not. You have many comrades among the students and some among the staff. You are the majority in the nation, and in a very distant way, currently running international politics and commerce.

For the liberals out there, take comfort in the fact that all political trends come to an end, and on a university campus, as of yet, it is still acceptable to voice what you believe in.

Jasmine Bennett

UNM student