Brandeis is very picky about the minorities it chooses to protect. Last year, when an article in the Justice alluded to a racial epithet there was uproar; forums were held and the incident even made it to local news. This is not in any way to excuse the near-use of the racial slur, but rather to demonstrate the great care that the Brandeis community took to act against a certain type of discrimination.

However, over the past few weeks much discrimination has been shown to a different minority on the Brandeis campus; a minority that-although you cannot differentiate those who belong to it by the color of their skin or their ethnic background-is still very much present and very much worthy of the same respect and concern afforded to other minorities on campus. We are referring to Republicans.

The campus newspaper, which is supposed to represent the views of the student body, is guilty of minimalizing the importance of some of those whom it purports to represent. Gracing the cover of the Justice the day following the election were two large photographs of students saddened by John Kerry's loss. But where were the equally important pictures of proud supporters of President Bush?

After shifting your eyes downward, you might have found one at the bottom, in a picture a quarter of the size of the two photos of Kerry supporters. Why not grace the front page with two, equally prominent pictures-one of Democrats, and one of Republicans?

Why aren't Republican smiles as important as Democratic tears? Why not emphasize that America's president has the respect of some Brandeis students? Why not show off Brandeis' diversity?

Here's why. The Justice, representing the majority of the student body, is ashamed of having Republicans on campus, and therefore mocks and belittles them, as if to reassure the community that conservatives do not really matter. It wishes to show that the rest of the campus, while a minority in America, can be comfortable in its enclave of "free-thinking," thought-oppressing liberals. Think these grievances are exaggerated?

Consider the following sampling of recent incidents of hate and discrimination against Republicans at this campus, that would have stirred great controversy if conducted against most other groups considered to be a minority :

n The day after the election, while sitting in a crowded room in the Shapiro campus center and wearing a Students for Bush T-Shirt as a way to demonstrate pride in her President and happiness at the results of the election, Rebecca was told loudly by another student, whom she did not know, that because she has conservative views she should have chosen a different school-people like her do not belong on a liberal campus.

A while after Rebecca's pointed and biting response to the comments, the student returned to apologize for having behaved in such a way, which is much appreciated. However, the point is that because that student is surrounded by a security blanket of like-minded students, it was not even a consideration that demeaning and ostracizing a conservative might not be appropriate.

n Caring friends warned Rebecca that she was taking a risk by wearing that T-shirt. But why? Were Democratic students afraid of the consequences of wearing their Kerry T-shirts? The concern was appreciated, but submitting to fear of liberals is aiding and abetting them, and the fact that there was need for concern is indicative of the reign of liberal tyranny at Brandeis.

n That same day, while wearing the Students for Bush shirt, Rebecca also found gum in her hair. Coincidence? We think not.

n When carrying a Bush-Cheney sign, Aviva was given the finger by a student she does not know. When she asked why, the other student replied, "Look who you're voting for," and drove away.

n The most horrifying of all are the stickers that were found throughout campus of a Ku Klux Klan member with a caption that read: "This is what a Republican Looks Like...Act to End Hate." That is incitement to riot against Republican students-it is hate literature and it was found in at least Usdan and the Shapiro Student Center.

And yet, there is no uproar, there were no forums, no groups came together to condemn the discriminatory acts against fellow Brandeis community members.

Rather, this is how the paper with the ironic title of "the Justice", which supposedly represents the Brandeis student body, reacted to Republicans: the "Unnatural Triple" cartoon was cut and replaced by a protest of Bush's re-election. Here is part of the message contained within the protest: "[conservatives'] political actions are dictated by religion. People are not voting on...foreign policy, but on taking away other people's rights."

Our actions are not dictated by religion-one of our foremost concerns in this election was foreign policy-and we are horribly offended by the suggestion that our aim is to deny rights to others. The protest goes on to say "ignorance is swallowing up our freedom." Well yes, yes it is-the ignorance of what could potentially be some of the best and brightest students in this country keeps these students so consumed by their "liberal" ideals that they swallow up the freedom of those who have alternate views.

The above is only a sampling of incidents from the past few weeks-imagine having had to deal with such intolerance and hypocrisy from professors and students alike for three years and still have more Brandeis open-mindedness to endure.

We are outraged that this campus has not shown the same respect and care for a group that, although is not a minority outside the Brandeis bubble, certainly constitutes one within it. Perhaps it is time for Brandeis to reevaluate what it actually means to be liberal and progressive and take steps toward realizing true tolerance and acceptance.


Editor's Note: Rebecca Langer '05 and Aviva Fink '07 are members of the Brandeis Republicans.