Conservative writer and activist Allie Stuckey was hosted by the Claire Booth Luce Society of the University of Wisconsin Tuesday to speak on a variety of topics, from healthcare to abortion to affirmative action.
Stuckey encouraged students to continue to be strong in their conservative political views. She shared stories of conservative students who, after being surrounded by liberal peers in a liberal climate, felt they had to hide their political views, or at least become more moderate.
“My guess is that if you are a conservative in a liberal area, you probably feel like you should be quiet, like you can’t really speak up about your views, you can’t be quite as bold about what you believe in,” Stuckey said.
Conservative students say pressure from predominantly liberal peers, faculty can be stifling
One of Stuckey’s main points centered on altruism, which she said is a core value of conservatism. She touted the “love your neighbor” idea, repeating the mantra several times throughout the presentation, and said she believed service could help bring people on opposite sides of the political spectrum together.
Stuckey urged students to take it upon themselves to help those around them through activities such as volunteering and serving the homeless. She mentioned that many conservatives believe helping those in need supports big government, but said that was not true.
“Service from both a political and nonpolitical perspective is really important,” Stuckey said.
She believed that going back to the founding of the United States, and the idea that “all men are created equal,” should be used to address intersectionality and affirmative action.
“Conservatives believe that America was inspired by an idea,” Stuckey said.
When asked about her view on abortion, Stuckey affirmed that she was pro-life, but she said that doctors who perform abortions should be criminalized, not women in crisis pregnancies.
Stuckey described the cycle of “abuse and desperation” that often comes with a crisis pregnancy, and said that it is difficult to pin that on the woman herself.
Overall, Stuckey felt her role was to empower conservatives to continue speaking their mind, even on a campus like UW, regarded as a majority liberal.
“Do not be sorry for the things you actually believe,” Stuckey said. “Don’t stop fighting for what you believe in.”
