Last week, columnist Tiffany Burba wrote a column about her experience being “socially conservative on a liberal campus.” I found it interesting to read her perspective because I find myself on the opposite end of some of the points she brought up. However, I don’t consider myself “socially liberal,” or “socially conservative,” for that matter. That’s because people judge you for what they think you believe if you label yourself with any of these politically oriented names.
I don’t subscribe to every single conservative or liberal viewpoint, which is why I take such issue with being placed into either of those categories. It would be fine if people didn’t hear either of those words and automatically assign a certain level of intelligence or assume that because I identify with one of the polarizing labels, I must believe in every viewpoint and value typically associated with that category.
Like Tiffany said in her column, those who label themselves conservative are often associated with words like bigot, racist, homophobe, etc. — but those who label themselves liberal are often associated with words that are equally degrading, no matter what color state you live in. I choose to forge my own path in the political arena, and don’t want to limit myself to deciphering things through one radical lens.
I used to think people simply made judgment calls after hearing the words Republican or Democrat. But now, I know other words I’m supposed to avoid using too: Feminist, religious Christian, activist, Libertarian and advocate are just a few of the words that elicit negative reactions from all different types of people. I’m simply trying to put together some semblance of understanding about the issues in this world, and having people look down on me for it is insulting.
Now, I clearly don’t care much about what people think of me. I think I have referred to myself as all of those words at one point or another, either in a column or conversation. If people are going to judge my character based on words they hear me say, so be it. I like to think that’s their problem, not mine. But the fact that people still give these words such agency really bothers me, especially when it means they judge my friends or family members for their labels, too.
One of my good friends and I were talking about how much our viewpoints on things have changed since we began college. Some people might chalk that up to being away from parents, mentors, families, etc., but I think it’s because we are surrounded by scholastic minds. People I have met and gotten to know in college have no problem voicing their opinions and backing them up with well-researched evidence. These are the people I have learned from — something I value above all else. A lot of things I say now might contradict things I thought five years ago. And I am resigned to the fact that in another five years, I might be laughing at my current viewpoints and calling myself stupid. But I embrace the self-hypocrisy if it means I get to make my own decisions on what I believe, based on what I read and learn from those around me.
Judging people by labels they are assigned breeds closed-mindedness. Keep that in mind the next time you have a conversation with someone, and you just might learn something.
Maria Romas is a senior English major. She can be reached at mromasdbk@gmail.com.