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I am really pissed off. About two weeks ago, when most of you were probably home for the Yom Kippur holiday, the John McCain stickers on my door were vandalized. These advertisements were innocent endorsements of my support for the candidate, and this act of vandalism represented a true crime against my property.

On one of the stickers, this craven individual wrote, “douchbag, homophobe” and on the other sign, “sucks.” On both stickers, there were cross outs and other marks as well. This instance of intolerance is unbelievable. From a community that supposedly respects all viewpoints, this act is an incredible episode of bigotry. For a community that embraces diversity, it represented a shunning of that very ideal.

It is amazing that people don’t see the hardships faced by conservatives on the Brandeis campus. Many of my compatriots are afraid to speak out, as they can’t stand the judgment and criticism they would receive. In a place where the term “Republican” is a dirty word, many do not want to come out and publically declare their sentiments. This is a horrible condition. The Brandeis community, in its bigoted stance, has shunned an important commodity from the marketplace of ideas. How can a genuine discussion be well rounded if all you hear is the same old droning of liberal propaganda?

Republicans add to diversity, conservatives provide a valuable viewpoint. Yet we are crapped upon and criticized even though we do the community a service by expressing our beliefs. I was recently quoted in an article by the Boston Phoenix on this very topic and advise you to check it out online for a longer explanation of my sentiments on this topic.

Furthermore, the academy is horrible in this arena, as it does not allow a genuine free flow of ideas. I am talking beyond mere “Bush-bashing.”

Recently one of my residents complained that she was assigned Barack Obama’s autobiography to read in her composition class with an endorsement for the candidate by the professor. Many of my conservative colleagues have told me that they have been graded down on papers for conveying their right-leaning ideas. And numerous individuals have become annoyed that professors in the Classics or Fine Arts departments are going off their curriculums to bash Republicans and endorse liberal candidates. This is insane! How do you effectively allow people to reach full intellectual growth when you are shoving propaganda down their throats? How can you allow individuals to discover their own views when you punish one position and endorse the Liberal side of things?

Furthermore, I would just like to get off my chest how unfairly people have treated the Republican candidates in this campaign. Only in America could someone call John McCain a “douchbag.” He has dedicated his life to serving our country and has served five years in hell as a prisoner of war. I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for this man, and to convey loaded insults at him is disgraceful to how our country treats their public servants. And yes, I do like Sarah Palin. Her story is populist and her meteoric rise to power is truly impressive. Many have focused way too much on the Republican Vice Presidential candidate in this election, when this position really has little power in the national political scene. And no, McCain won’t die. That view is truly short-sighted indeed.

But back to Palin. Many have been up in arms due to a few mistakes in interviews and other indiscretions she made. At least she doesn’t plagiarize speeches like a certain other VP nominee. At least Palin never said her now running mate was the “first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy” like Biden did last year. I also think past the criticisms that Palin is unintelligent and unfit for office. Anyone who can rise in politics as quickly as she did is no dumb cookie, and the fact that she has such a humble background connects her to the American people. Stop letting biased media or SNL convince you otherwise, the feeding frenzy on this woman is unwarranted. Use your own head and see that Sarah Palin is not the devil many have painted her out to be.

So this is the third installment of my memoirs of a conservative at Brandeis. I am sorry for the jumbled format of it all, but bear with me; my mind is so full of anger and vengeance! I hope this piece can nevertheless help you see the hypocrisy and bigotry expressed by many members of the Brandeis community.