Anyone who knows me well knows that I lean more right than left. Considerably more, actually. I without question identify as politically conservative, and although politics are seldom a subject of my everyday conversations, I do sometimes stand out amongst my friends, classmates and teachers, a population that is comfortably 80% liberal. Growing up in New York City and also having attended what I consider to be left-leaning academic institutions my entire life, I am rarely part of a political majority. At least, it certainly feels that way.

I have noticed over the last couple of years a scarcity of conservative opinions, whether it be in a classroom, a dorm room, at a lunch table or over the phone. I have heard from my few right-wing friends over and over again for years something to the effect of, “Ugh, I wish I could share my thoughts openly in class. Don’t you feel like they suppress our opinions and only respect us if we agree with them?” Honestly, not at all. I used to think along those lines because I heard that cry repeatedly, but the more I thought about it, the more my frustration shifted away from those dastardly liberals and towards those that I agreed with.

It was easy to blame the left for the vast underrepresentation of conservative thoughts being shared, but honestly, it just does not make sense. I do not at all profess to be an anthropological mastermind. This is the opinion section, so for the sake of clarity, I will phrase what I am trying to say as an opinion: Conservatives need to speak more. A lot more. I absolutely do not want to generalize and pretend that not a single Republican young person is afraid to talk politics. However, in a setting such as class, I cannot imagine that I only agree with the handful of kids that I have heard share conservative views. They claim, “But no one will respect what I have to say, and they’ll only entertain opinions they agree with.” Really? Are you sure? I feel like you would have to try it first to know. I honestly cannot think of a time when I, or one of my classmates, shared a right-oriented suggestion or stance in class that did anything but incite enriching and productive discussion. In my experience, the more I fully describe my opinions to those that disagree with me, that is to say the more specific I can be, the more difficult it is for them to disregard or disrespect my complete political profile.

Again, I really do not want this article to sound like an assignment to whomever is reading. I have absolutely zero credibility or authority to tell you what to do or say. But, here is a fact and an opinion: I rarely hear a leftist idea met with any criticism or controversy. That is just a fact from my personal experience. The liberals I know do a perfectly reasonable job of accommodating any and all ideas coming from anyone who has something to say, including those ready to take an opposing stance. I personally tend to operate under the assumption that if you have something to hide, then you also have something to change. If someone is afraid of people knowing what they believe, then perhaps they should believe something different. Personally, if I feel strongly about an idea that I have (which, admittedly, many would argue that I do a little more than I should), I have a hard time thinking of good reasons to keep it to myself.

I want to reiterate that I am in no way the model for a conservative college student. All I am trying to say is that I would love to see more left-wing ideas faced with contrary, conversation-enhancing opinions rather than awkward head nodding and vindicating “mm-hm’s.” That might sound obvious, but I think that a substantial piece of that puzzle would be for the average Republican student to stop holding liberals responsible for their apprehension against conservative views. I also want to reiterate that there certainly are conservatives I know that have no problem speaking their mind. I am not at all saying they cease to exist. But, I have to believe that there are more than I have seen. So if I may just offer one piece of advice to any of my fellow conservatives that hesitate to share their thoughts: let it fly, baby. Let the big dog eat. Share that conservative opinion, because there is a pretty good chance that it will enhance the conversation.