To the editor:
It was with great disappointment that I read Sam Norcross’s piece “A Left Without A Right” (4/11/11). As the 2002 co-founder and Vice-Chairman of a vibrant, 200+ member Conn. College Republican Club until 2005, at which 30-40 people often appeared at our weekly meetings, it is hard to believe there is no organized conservative presence on campus.
Our club was heavily involved in the political issues on and off-campus in the early part of this decade. We brought the then-U.S. Congressman for Conn’s district, Rob Simmons, to campus to speak, and brought conservative authors as well. We also volunteered for Simmons’s 2002 and 2004 campaign victories, as well as successful candidates for New London municipal offices and statewide.
We held debates with the College Democrats (formed in response to our vocal presence), and promoted widespread and spirited debate on a variety of hot-button issues, not the least of which was encouraging—we thought with success–a campus that promoted and appreciated diversity of thought and opinion along with more conventional diversity issues.
Unafraid to speak out, we made Conn a more aware, less apathetic place. While conservatives have had little reason to cheer developments since those years, this may be changing, and more importantly, in fair or foul political weather it is extremely important that a moderate to conservative prospective on the issues of the day be heard above the overwhelmingly liberal prospective generally on offer at Connecticut College.
I implore those of a moderate to conservative bent at Conn to re-organize and again foster the civil and political discourse we introduced to campus in our day. If you can articulately state and defend your position, you will almost certainly be shouted at, but you will never be shouted down.
Owen A. Kloter, Esq. ’05
New York, NY
