Dear Ms. Kathleen Parker,

The message that you shared on Tuesday night spoke to me in so many ways. You referred to many of the issues that I think about daily, and did such a wonderful job of defending the true meaning of free speech. I admire your boldness, your strength, and most importantly, your tenacity. Standing before a crowd of mostly dissenting students with your calm and fearless temperament greatly stood out to many of us who feel as though we can't defend our beliefs on this campus.

As an African American, female, conservative, I have felt less than welcome in many places on Elon's campus. I am someone who is very opinionated, and likes to speak out on those ideas, but am sometimes forced to keep those beliefs to myself in order to remain politically correct and keep the peace. The same is not expected of the liberal student body, as politically liberal beliefs have been indoctrinated into this institution. In many aspects, it seems as though the liberal ideology is the only ideology that is allowed to be discussed both in and out of the classroom, which in turn silences a majority of students with an opposing mindset, hindering our right to free speech.

You made an excellent point regarding the necessity of free speech. You claimed, "We don't need free speech for nice things, we need it because we have to hear even the worst of things." The only way to learn and expand your beliefs is to get uncomfortable, and have those conversations that people usually try to avoid. You are exactly right. Shutting out voices on either side of the political spectrum only leads to a continuation of otherwise avoidable ignorance. To be quite honest, there is no "other side" if there is only a one-sided opinion. The discussion will end as soon as it starts, and no real conclusions will be met. We are seeing this more and more today, especially with the upcoming election, where people have chosen to block or ignore people who don't believe in the same candidate as them. It is a growing epidemic that will only come to a halt when conversation is present.

In defining free speech and political correctness, you also redefined what it means to be a conservative in 2016. I greatly appreciate you elaborating on your disfavor for Donald Trump, noting that he doesn't embody the ideals of many GOP voters, and supports a very small percentage of American voters in general. The audience needed to hear this, as many hold the belief that all conservatives are standing behind him and will cast their vote for him on November 8th. It was important to discuss his statements regarding racial and gender minorities, and how this is not an example of apathy for political correctness, but a complete disregard for the welfare of the majority of the American people. You mentioned how this election proves the brokenness that has overcome the Republican Party, and how a change needs to be made in order to include more Americans and engage more actively with the rest of the world. Although many may not be as forthright about it, I feel as though this is the mindset of many conservatives at this point. I'm so glad that this topic was reflected in your monologue, as it challenged the stereotype that has become associated with the party by those with opposing viewpoints.

Another matter that you strongly advocated for was the right and the need for education, particularly regarding media research and literacy. There are many people who will hear something and automatically believe it without looking further into the matter. You suggested that this lack of knowledge actually places a limit on free speech because people only want to believe what they hear and what they agree with. I completely agree that more people need to be educated about global issues, and the leaders that they elect into office. The only issue remaining is that of sparking an interest in those who could care less about furthering their knowledge.

Your message spoke volumes, and it was one that many needed to hear. I greatly appreciate people who can remove themselves from a strong belief system in trying times and speak the truth, even when it may spark controversy between an otherwise agreeable body of people. You truly inspired me to continue to fight for what I believe in even though it may not be appreciated by the majority. Whenever I get discouraged, I will always think of your contagious passion, and your never ending fight for discussion of all kinds.

Thank you for giving conservatives like me a voice.