Carleton students are close-minded and lack an ability to listen to conservative perspectives. The prototypical Carleton student is democratic, pro-environment, pro-choice, and against all forms of establishment. If you are not a democrat you will be ostracized and looked at like a crazy person. If you mention that you believe in the ideals of a Republican candidate, Carleton students will think you are crazy or just joking around. This campus is so Democratic that people are shocked if you don’t support Bernie, who is as qualified to run this country as Trump. Yet, outside the Carleton bubble, Republicans are in control of congress and a Republican president is a real possibility in 2016. So why don’t we listen to their perspectives? Why can’t Carleton open to conservative ideals?

According to most people, the purpose of college is to listen to new perspectives, learn from them, and develop your own. Yet, Carleton doesn’t offer any new opinions. At Williams, the top college in the country, they have an “Uncomfortable Learning Speaking Series” where speakers contrary to their mainstream beliefs present ideas that push students. This program has created some heated debate on their campus and is extremely beneficial to the student body. Why doesn’t Carleton do this? When an opinion contrasts Carleton’s mainstream beliefs the entire student body revolts and shuts down Sayles or the Cow. We have set up organizations that are anti-opinion, which is exactly what college shouldn’t be. Do we really need a rally in front of Sayles to belittle the ideas of a man or woman who firmly believes that his or her perspective is valid? There are some crazy opinions out there, just look at Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee; however, every opinion should be taken seriously. Carleton cannot continue to shut off opinions that challenge them or this campus will only be a destination for one type of student.

This campus needs speakers, musicians, and politicians to challenge the status quo. I think safe-spaces and organizations that combat campus wide issues are necessary. But there should not just be one opinion that drives this campus. I implore anybody who reads this to push for an uncomfortable speaking series like the one at Williams. Maybe then Carleton can open up to the real world, not the bubble that is carefully spoon-fed to them over the four years here. If you come away from Carleton having only heard one opinion, the liberal one, then college has been a waste. Carleton can only become a truly great college when it starts to challenges students mentally, not hold its hand and allow every interest group to push for Bernie. Carleton is close-minded, and the only way it can open up is by accepting that this bubble isn’t real, it’s an illusion created by outspoken Carls. People in the real world don’t think like us, so I think it’s time to start learning about their beliefs.