<p>I am a junior and i am interested in Columbia, but i am wondering if it is a liberal place, and by that i mean the liberalism that demeans other viewpoints and not the good liberals who actually engage in debate. I ask because i am a severe black conservative and i just wonder if there will be hostility, bc i am vocal about my views, but i respect others.</p>
<p>There are plenty of black conservatives I find (everywhere, not just at Columbia).</p>
<p>Columbia is known to be pretty liberal all around yes, but also extremely diverse in cultural, religious and political opinions. </p>
<p>You won't get boo'ed in lectures halls but you'll find people who are equally (if not more) vocal about their views as well. Should make for good and respectful discussions. Hopefully with minimal ******baggery. I don't think you should worry about hostility.</p>
<p>You get the respect you give, etc, etc...</p>
<p>Thanks. (word limit)</p>
<p>"i mean the liberalism that demeans other viewpoints and not the good liberals who actually engage in debate."</p>
<p>Oh, please. This again? If you can't handle it when people point out flaws in your reasoning and disprove points you have made, then you'll never be comfortable anywhere at any college, unless you decide to go to Bob Jones University. </p>
<p>The whole point of debate is to try to prove yourself and your views, but when you start taking things personally and claim that others are "demeaning" your views by simply providing counter arguments, you come across as extremely immature. </p>
<p>College is about learning new things, new ideas, new ways to look at the world. If you're not ready to reevaluate your own views (and this applies to everyone, not just you), then you're not ready for college. You claim to respect other people's opinions, but I've yet to see you actually respect anyone.</p>
<p>^ Aren't you being a little harsh there?</p>
<p>^You probably haven't read the other thread on the Brown Board that I alluded to a lot in that post. You wouldn't think I was being harsh if you read through that entire thread.</p>
<p>^ Hmm, okay..</p>
<p>Wow, why would you come onto a post that has nothing to do with you at all and demean something that i said that has nothing to do with you. It is not this again, bc i did not ask YOU anything i asked about the atmosphere of a school. Why? Bc college is about fit and the atmosphere is important so i would like to know. If you don't want to hear me ask about the atmosphere of a school, then here's a tip. DON'T READ MY THREADS!</p>
<p>Don't flatter yourself. It's not like I'm stalking you. I was checking out the Columbia board and happened upon this thread. And considering the tone in your original post, it seems as though you are still harboring a lot of resentment, which was very transparent in your writing. </p>
<p>If you actually read my post, there is a tad of an answer to your original question in there. As I stated before, most colleges, especially the ivies and in particular Columbia are places where you will find yourself reevaluating your values and beliefs quite often. And considering that you are still holding a grudge from a debate from quite a while ago, it seems you can't handle criticism which is a bad trait to have at a place like Columbia which also just happens to be situated in one of the most diverse cities in the world. </p>
<p>Just a little food for thought.</p>
<p>No i didn't even read the rest of the post after, this again, bc it upset me that someone would come to another thread in another college and act as if I was the one trying to perpetuate something. But further you are the one who came on here and started talking down on me, when i wasn't addressing you. It is ridculous to say that i am the one harboring resentment, when you obviously did not let something go, bc you were the one talking about an old thread.</p>
<p>"but i am wondering if it is a liberal place, and by that i mean the liberalism that demeans other viewpoints and not the good liberals who actually engage in debate."</p>
<p>You can deny it all you want, but by this one sentence alone it is blatantly obvious that the debate on the Brown Board has taken its toll on you. You went from asking if Brown was a liberal place, plain and simple, to asking if Columbia was a "good" liberal place versus "the bad kind" that apparently demeans opinions. If that's not a sign of a grudge, then I have no idea what is.</p>
<p>I stand by my point. You seriously need to learn to open your eyes to the world and to not take everything personally and an attempt to "demean" you. Otherwise, you'll never be able to make it in college. Period.</p>
<p>"But further you are the one who came on here and started talking down on me"</p>
<p>What a perfect way to prove me right, twisting simple criticism from me into a personal attack on you that was apparently meant to be demeaning.</p>
<p>Has taken a toll on me? For information i was referring to the segment on Bill O'Riley where Columbia students stormed the stage during a minutemen protest and the fact that the ROTC is not allowed on campus, and the fact that I got the Columbia book in the mail today and there was a girl from Houston, TX who said that NYC was liberal. Look I don't care about Brown. I was asking about Columbia.</p>
<p>And the reason i mention the distinction in liberalism is that i have several liberal friends who are awesome and i wouldn't mind going to college with liberals like that.</p>
<p>uhuh....Sure. I didn't say whether or not you care about Brown, but what I did mention was your clear change in attitude from the beginning of that thread to this thread. </p>
<p>Once again, denial is a wonderful thing to lose.</p>
<p>I don't doubt that you may have gotten concerned by this Bill O'Reilly report, but your transparent change of heart reeks of a previous conflict.</p>
<p>Deny what, i think you should let it go, really i mean there is a world outside these forums and when you go out there you see these posts and threads really, reallly, really don't matter enough to impact a person. I asked a question unrelated to Brown or a past thread and so far you are the only one who thinks this has anything to do with that. I wanted to know about Columbia, bc i am a strong conservative and just wanted to learn about the atmosphere bc i had heard negative things about Columbia i.e. Bill O'riley. I don't know what there is to deny. I guess i could deny i wanted to learn about Columbia :/ ??</p>
<p>Hippo, i think what the OP meant is that colleges and universities for the most part are liberal, whether that be the students or teachers...its undeniable that MOST not ALL are more liberal in general. Because of this, stories are more commonly heard where a liberal prof. was closeminded and put down a conservative student for voicing his or her opinion/view that those of a conservative prof. doing the same to a liberal student. I'm not saying that there aren't closeminded conservatives, b/c there obviously are...I just think and also believe that the op meant that in academia, there are many instances where the liberals put down the conservatives in a distasteful way moreso that the other way around b/c the liberals are in the majority in college...at least w/ professors. The OP doesn't mind if people point out flaws in his reasoning and give their own opinions as long as they remain openminded and let him have a rebuttle again...an actual debate..that's all.</p>
<p>Also, just b/c a person doesn't want to be put down and not given a chance to be fairly heard and respected does not mean that said person cannot reevalutae their own views and change, but conversely if a conservative person is constantly put down by a liberal prof. or something and not given a fair chance to speak his or her mind, he or she will be less likely to want to change views b/c those who hold those views will be seen as arrogant and closeminded....</p>
<p>1) Just because I'm the only one whose responded doesn't mean I'm the only one who's noticed this. I'm probably the only one who's happened to come across this thread. Who knows? </p>
<p>2) Bill O'Reilly is a nutter who has no idea what he's talking about. I wouldn't take what he has to say too seriously. </p>
<p>3) Of course there's life outside the boards. But when posting on the boards, other board posts can and often do (as I have seen on other forums) have an impact on future board posts. No one actually takes these posts out into the real world with them. </p>
<p>4) My only point was that you seem to take things a bit too personally. You throw around the word "demeaning" way too often. Seriously, you're going to find people everywhere who will scrutinize your views but you can't go around claiming that people are demeaning you or your views, because they are not. </p>
<p>Just my 2 cents.</p>
<p>Anyways, Dbate, Columbia profs. and students lean more to the left, so you will be in the minority but will be able to find others with your views. I know someone who went to Columbia who was very conservative, religious, etc. and differed greatly from many peers and profs, yet was able to have great debates and discussions in class and outside with others without being attacked (a lot ;) ) and was even able to convert some people to the conservative side on many issues b/c of stong arguments and facts to back them up. As long as you know why you believe what you believe, you should be fine. Just be open to what liberals are saying too and you will learn a lot (also, it helps to know your opponents arguments better than they do to help you w/ your own) so listening to them will help a lot. To sum it all up, you will be fine at Columbia if you can debate with good decorum and don't shy away from a ton of liberals. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks Coffee Adict you pretty much hit the nail on the head.</p>
<p>I think i can debate i qualified to Texas state debate tournment every year i competed. Not to brag or anything ;)</p>