‘Coming Out Day’ For Both Sides of Political Spectrum
KATIE WARD - Campus News Editor

A lone table of College Republicans got a little more than they expected from their self-proclaimed "Conservative Coming Out Day" in the Student Union Thursday as a dozen gay rights supporters showed up carrying flags and banners to offer their two cents.

Laden with informational fliers, George W. Bush decals and bumper stickers supporting military troops, the table was a part of Conservative Week, a series of events organized by the College Republicans to promote awareness and keep the club afloat with new members next year.

"Most people don't even know there's a conservative voice on campus," said Ashley Steinkirchner, a sophomore comparative politics and women's studies major and secretary of the College Republicans. "You'd be shocked at how many people see us in the union and are surprised we exist."

Yet when members of the newly formed Feminist Action Group and other gay rights supporters got wind of the College Republicans' "coming out" on Thursday, they stood front and center to challenge the nature of the hurdles conservatives face when they go public.

"I just don't understand why they couldn't come up with their own slogan," said Christina Mihalitsas, a sophomore psychology major and member of the countering group. "They're not hated like we are just because of who we are."

"I'm here in support of anti-conservative views — to stop war, stop homophobia, stop racism, capitalism," said Kim Kilpela, a senior sociology and women's studies major.

Dana Abbot, a senior psychology major, said the need to spread the message of acceptance led her to play a part in the small rally.

"Even if one person is impacted by this, that's one person," said Abbot.

But according to Steinkirchner, college-aged conservative Republicans aren't the norm, either.

"People are afraid to express their opinions in any direction," said Steinkirchner. "We're definitely a minority on campus. This wasn't meant to offend anyone."

"We're doing this to encourage activism. It's not really about preserving conservative ideas," she said. "It's about being able to express your opinions openly."

Eric Sharp, a sophomore history major and the assistant secretary of the College Republicans, said the amount of opposition Republicans face in college is disheartening.

"We breathe, and people protest. It's insane," said Sharp. "We could do nothing and sit here and people protest. It's really discouraging sometimes."

Members of the gay pride group sported a large rainbow flag, and one person made a poster reading, "Conservatives Are Not Oppressed."

Sarah Birnie, a senior marketing and international business major and member of the Feminist Action Group, asked members of the College Republicans how society in general reacts to their presence.

"I asked one of the people at the (Republican) table, 'well, how are your parents taking it?'" Birnie said. "He said, 'oh, they're conservative too.' Then I asked, 'is it OK for you to walk down the hall with another conservative?'"

College Republicans public relations director Michael Scholes said the purpose of the event was simply to spark an active interest in the political system.

"We wanted to make sure we encourage people to get involved," said Scholes.

Birnie, for her part, had a response to the Republicans who were able to come out Thursday to publicize their conservatism.

"Well you know what? You're so lucky you can do that," Birnie said. "You're so lucky we have an American society that will accept you for who you are."

oh yes... and if anyone LOVES to dance, i highly recommend roxy's on thursnites. it's not yo' same ol' bull shit club music. sandra will play what you bring in and she'll play le tigre if you ask super duper sweetly.

and if anyone just wants to go dancing on a whim, i am your dancing queen.

too many cigarettes. i'm not a smoker. paul knows what i'm talking about...

for those of you who don't know about the cabaret at roxy's, i'm going to tell you about it. it's a 2-woman act. they performed last nite and will again saturnite. it's really quite hott. men and women of all preferences love it. it's a sensual game of cat and mouse... they have great chemistry. support these ladies!

on that note, i would love to start/join something like that! being a leo, i think i'm completely hott and wonderful and one hell of a dancer... ANYONE INTERESTED IN STARTING A CABARET/BURLESQUE SHOW WITH ALL AROUND HOTTNESS? methinks we could take this city by storm.

ooh, in need of orange juice.

• sigh*

oh, the coming out day rally was fabulous! we marched up to that silly flag room where one lone republican man (white, of course) sat at his table with pamphelts, "re-elect bush" and "support bush and our troops" stickers, a diet coke, and next to him was a video game station with one drone shooting at helpless people. *sigh* this is america.
at any rate, we marched up and i jovially gave him a flyer from the wny pride center, advertising their coming out support group. i told him how happy we all were for him that he was coming out and that there are support groups out there. he just kept saying, "no... conservative!" of course i just kept going, asking how his friends and family are taking it; if he's confused and really just a liberal at heart... when we got to talking about friends, i asked if all his friends were conservative too. to which he replied "yes." i asked if he was nervous walking down the street with them and if they got harassed for walking together, etc. he said "no." so i went on to say how great it is to live in a society where people can be who they are and not worry about getting harassed for it, etc. then i went on about how he must support the constitution as is, and that everyone should have the right to live and love freely... he responded with a meek "yes"... he probably was scared of my pit hair, and the bakers dozen of queers clad in rainbows behind me.

needless to say, it was amazing. wish y'all could have seen it. i need to change my boxers.

hey kids!

so, it's conservative week here at ol' UB. and you know what grand idea they have for today (thursday)? oh, why it's coming out (conservative) day in the student union. what we've decided to do is "mistake" it for gay pride and turn the whole thing into a pride rally completely clad with rainbows and labrices... not to mention throwing in their face that conservatives are NOT an oppressed group.
other thoughts were to start a dialogue with them... ask them how their parents and friends are taking it. ask if this is just a phase. ask what their root is--perhaps too much bush ;) ask if they're just questioning everything, and maybe they're really liberal at heart... you get the idea.
so, come one, come all! we're meeting there at 12noon.

smooches.
.sb.