Conservative Cowardice

Liberty University's recent eviction of the Young Democrats organization from their campus facilities has me thinking about a paradox in the conservative movement. On one hand, conservatives like to portray themselves as tough and devoted to what they happen to believe. On the other hand, in various situations in which their views might be challenged, conservatives tend to want to eradicate any opposition to their views, suggesting that their views might not be able to withstand the opposition's.

When then-candidate Barack Obama had a back-and-forth with John McCain and conservatives regarding whether or not to create dialogue with our enemies, conservatives attacked Obama for his willingness to talk to the other side, as if talking in and of itself was equivalent to surrender.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Senator Obama has declared and repeatedly affirmed his intention to meet the president of Iran without any preconditions, likening it to meetings between former American presidents and the leaders of the Soviet Union. Such a statement betrays the depth of Senator Obama's inexperience and reckless judgment.

McCain and his conservative brethren apparently only want to fire up Reagan's "beacon of freedom" when the coast is clear, when there's nothing that tests it. McCain and Co.'s suggestion that Obama is the one with the "reckless judgment" is asinine when they were the ones both ignoring reality (Iran is a sovereign nation) and lacking trust that America's values would prevail in such a discussion.

The most recent example -- Liberty University's escapades -- provides us with yet another scenario in which conservatives can't bear to have their views challenged by others. Former Arkansas senator J. William Fulbright once noted that dissent is an act of faith in a democracy. It makes sense. A nation can tolerate the inevitable questions and feedback if it is confident in the values guiding it. In the end, dissent strengthens the country, rousing it out of complacency and forcing it to come to terms with potential problems on the horizon.

For a Republican Party that increasingly belongs to those sharing the same worldview of these Liberty officials, this isn't a great development (whether they realize it or not). This is one more example of the false confidence that is on the rise in today's increasingly homogeneous GOP. Conservatives claim to believe in rock-solid principles, but when it comes time to put them to use in a constructive dialogue, many run away from these values and opt for hasty actions that serve to distract. Iraq, anyone?

As far as Liberty is concerned, the notion that the administration was forced to eliminate the Young Democrats from campus because of its parent organization's un-Christian views on abortion and LGBT issues will never be logically sound unless the Liberty Republican counterpart is also asked to leave because of its pro-war, pro-death penalty views (many consider these to be un-Christian). Of course, if Liberty is as patriotic as its name implies, a healthy pluralism would be encouraged.

All of this boils down to a couple views that Liberty apparently has and is communicating to all of us:

1.) Young people who significantly disagree with us on a few issues aren't allowed to agree with us on others.

2.) We don't have enough confidence in what we believe in to subject those beliefs to criticism.

One gets the feeling that the GOP is now a fledgling kids' club, run by a few obnoxious brats, who will soon realize that after booting everyone they didn't like for one reason or another, they're the only ones left. Jim Jeffords. Colin Powell. Richard Clarke. David Frum. Scott McClellan. Meghan McCain. Harriet Miers. Arlen Specter. And millions of Republicans-turned-independents. How much longer until its Dick, Rush, Sean, and the Liberty administration?