Oberlin College Grads Cringe When Its Most Famous Graduate – Michelle Malkin – Speaks

In 1964, I graduated from Oberlin College, an Ohio school to which I was drawn because it had the first mock political convention, was co-ed and had a bit over 2,000 students.

It, I found out, was also the second most liberal campus in Ohio…Antioch being more left wing.

That doesn’t mean conservatives–or what passed for conservatives in the Oberlin College political arena–were powerless.

The Oberlin College Young Republicans (what “College Republicans” were called then) was the largest political organization on campus with membership in the high 200’s, maybe low 300’s.

After watching the liberals steal the 1962 student council elections while the votes were being counted, our party, SCOPE (which wags said stood for “Sandy Campbell Opposes Practically Everything”), made sure we had watchers for the next go round.

Six of the twelve students elected to the council six were Young Republicans.

Oberlin College Student Council after the Young Republicans gained six out of twelve seats.

Oberlin College Student Council after the Young Republicans gained six out of twelve seats.

“Campus Elects Evenly Split Council”

That was the headline on the Oberlin Review article written by Roberta Martin.

We cut a deal with at least one of the liberals for YR Dennis Bathory’s election to head the student council and managed to get what we wanted, which was a Republican Mock Convention. I was its chairman.

The speakers we brought in counterbalanced to some extent all the liberal speakers we were exposed to, although one would hardly suggest that New York’s U.S. Senator Jacob Javits was a conservative. Russell Kirk, the publisher of the National Review, however, was. And watching Pennsylvania U.S. Hugh Scott shut up the hissers in Finney Chapel was hilarious. He said, “You have very loud radiators in here. We’ll wait until they vent.” Or something like that.  (Pennsylvania Governor William Scranton won our nomination, thanks to Harold Wolman’s management of his campaign.)

In any event, Oberlin College had and has a liberal student body.

This brings me to my title.

One Oberlin College graduate has achieved national fame.

She is columnist and commentator Michelle Malkin, Class of 1992.

So, why do I think liberal and radical Oberlin College grads (think SDS leader Renny Davis, a year ahead of me at Oberlin) cringe every time Malkin appears on talk radio or Fox News?

Because of the reaction of students when she spoke on campus in February of 2006 as part of the Ronald Reagan Political Lectureship Series sponsored by Steven Shapiro, Class of 1983.  That she had a bodyguard in front of her probably speaks volumes of the mood of tolerance for diversity of political thought on campus.

Outside the C-SPAN broadcast lecture “Safety and Security stood by and pamphlets on civil discourse were handed out,” the Oberlin Review reported.

Why, I would ask, would that be necessary?

But, I did write above how United State Senator Hugh Scott was hissed in 1963, didn’t I?

“Not much has changed since I went here,” Malkin told the Oberlin Review.

The Review couldn’t or at least didn’t get a flattering photo of her. I wonder if that reflected the political bent of its staff.

And, looking at Wikipedia, I see Malkin is not listed among its “Notable Alumi.”


Comments

Oberlin College Grads Cringe When Its Most Famous Graduate – Michelle Malkin – Speaks — 4 Comments

  1. One question. Did she ever actually graduate? what was her major? her degree? my problem with her is not her “conservative values” but her hateful criticisms, name calling, disrespect, condecending/ignorance and comments that aim to destroy personal character (Michelle Obama), calling her “deserving of harsh criticsm”
    That’s why I wondered what her actual academic credentials are? Her speech reveals the uncurious, closed-minded, black and white thinking/opinions of the uninformed/uneducated.
    I just heard her for the first time on CSPAN book TV and was shocked that she’s written a “bestseller” based on her hateful views. She was constantly saying things like”There are 2 kinds of pleople in this world: those who think American is good and great and those who don’t.” (meaning liberals and terrorists) Which of course is ridiculous, simplistic and appallingly narcisstict/self-centered…not unlike her/her opinions. SHe just admitted she does not subscribe to a newspaper (dead trees) And she with a “journalism” background is proud of this? She STARTED her career as a COLUMNIST? not a reporter?? Where does she think the quality investigative reporting orginates? Her blog? COlumns? No, of course not. If you listen to her you’ll hear how truly disturbed, unobjective she is.

  2. Your comment reveals what an intolerant, narrow minded condescending lib you are. You are “wondering what her actual academic credentials are?” You should be joking but you’re not. I suppose you are the smartest person you know… Get a life.

  3. I think Michelle is pretty, intelligent and has a great deal of common sense.

    She also has a knack for infuriating liberals.

    That alone makes her a superstar in my eyes.

    Keep up the good work Michelle.

  4. I wonder what those who hate Democrats and nbc, cbs, abc, npr, nyt, wp, etc., would say if the President continues to call every news organization we grew up with and believed in is “fake news” and goes out of business?

    Fox could then become the state official news source (Pravda).

    We have historically had a Free Press in America, but so did many countries before Fascists became the dictatorial leaders.

    Maybe the move to “make America great again” means America before 1776 and 1789?

    Think about it.

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