I can assure you that I am firmly in the progressive camp at Wesleyan. I approach every issue in American politics from the left: I am an ardent supporter of increasing spending on healthcare, insurance, climate resilience, and education at the expense of defense and border security. I am pro-abortion, anti-gun, and pro-immigration. But my opinion is thus: as liberals, progressives, moderates, socialists, and everything in between, we must confront an uncomfortable truth, that a university that only tolerates the left wing and ostracizes the right wing defeats the entire point of education.

I am, of course, not advocating for platforming Trumpian falsehoods, hatred and bigotry, or reactionary conspiracies. I am instead advocating for welcoming traditional conservative perspectives into the campus discussion: fiscal responsibility, a strong national defense, and limited government, for example.

Wesleyan is a liberal echo chamber. No matter how one spins it, politics is nearly always approached from the left on this campus. What’s more, I am afraid that instead of engaging in productive discourse with those holding opposite perspectives to our own (no matter how crazy we may think they are), we ignore—or worse, silence—right-wing perspectives. Not only is this counterproductive to America’s liberal democracy, which calls for consensus by national debate, but it is also counterproductive to one’s learning as a student.

I posted two polls on Wesleyan Fizz (which obviously is not a representative sample of Wesleyan, but can nonetheless provide us with a good idea of our landscape), Wesleyan students’ social media site of choice. The first question was a broad survey of Wesleyan’s political spectrum. As of December 22, 2023, respondents largely consider themselves to be moderates/centrists (62 respondents, 27%) liberals (115 respondents, 49%), or progressives (56 respondents, 24%). One anonymous user commented under the poll, chiding that “if you go to [W]esleyan you aren’t moderate lol.” No respondents consider themselves to be conservative.

 The second poll asked: “To what extent do conservatives freely speak their minds at Wesleyan today?” The question is modeled off of a similar question posed by the Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research at the University of Chicago. 62% of the 100 respondents responded that conservatives do “not at all,” and the remaining 38% responded “only a little.” Conservatism is not a popular worldview among the campus’ student body, and those who are conservative may not feel like they are in an environment where they can say what’s on their mind. As comforting as this may be to us leftists, this is a decidedly bad thing for Wesleyan.

Universities should be spaces where diverse ideas and viewpoints are explored. We often think about this in terms of academic and artistic disciplines, personal interests, religions, neurodiversity, and culture, but we often completely ignore political opinion. In the marketplace of ideas, we shut out those who disagree with how governments should be run. When put into context, this is an alarming prospect: excluding others based on what they believe in is unacceptable in a country where freedom of speech is a civil liberty. Diversity of opinion is crucial to maintaining academic freedom and exploring new ideas, philosophies, and modes of thought.

Conversely, including conservative, libertarian, and traditionalist voices in Wesleyan’s discourse will encourage mutual learning: not only does civil discourse leave one more informed about the country’s most pressing issues, but it forces everyone involved to challenge their own beliefs, preconceived notions, predispositions, and biases. It encourages one to think critically and question why they believe in what they believe in and why others do not.

Without any real conservative positions at Wesleyan, we will never have our long-held beliefs challenged. As a result, when we finally spread our wings and leave the Cardinal’s nest, we will be sorely underprepared to defend what we believe in. The real world’s political spectrum includes the right wing, and without it we lose the ability to engage with people who we will inevitably encounter in the rest of the country.

Constructive debate is invaluable at Wesleyan. The mere presence of the entire political spectrum in a space designed for civil discourse encourages constructive forms of debate instead of discrediting dissent in a monolithic sphere. An inclusive environment includes everyone, hears their voice, and respects their opinion. By understanding where people are coming from when they say things that we perceive to be wrong or hurtful, we develop a strong sense of empathy and open-mindedness, which are crucial attributes to have in a nation ailing from the wounds of political division.

Historically, we have enjoyed the privilege of political diversity. Back in the ‘90s, my father, Santiago Millán ‘93, also championed political diversity at Wesleyan. He was simultaneously an editor of the Hermes, the progressive newspaper, and the Wesleyan Review, a newspaper self-described as such: “Our political orientation is moderate-to-conservative, which, at Wesleyan, puts us far enough afield to be called the “alternative” political newspaper.” The fact that he edited both newspapers is proof that historically there has been room for all politics at Wesleyan, provided that they are respectful and constructive, and that people here respected each others’ opinions, learned from each other, and enjoyed a (mostly) harmonious academic environment that includes all modes of thought.

Although I have raised this issue, I have yet to come up with a constructive solution. President Roth champions political diversity among faculty, and actively tries to bring in students and professors of conservative and libertarian backgrounds, which is a practice that I greatly appreciate. I would love to read a revived Wesleyan Review, but I don’t think any conservative minds on campus are audacious enough to brave the liberal storm. I think that a good place to start would be to foster or create a safe space for conservatives to speak their mind on campus and another space for the whole political spectrum among students here to debate important political topics.

As an academic community, it is crucial to confront ideas that are deeply uncomfortable and divisive. As moderates, liberals, progressives, and socialists, it is the only way to develop opinions that are nuanced and well-positioned. It is the only way to learn new things and come up with new ideas in a deep way. It is the only way to come to mutual understanding and empathy and reach across the aisle. It is the only way to protect free speech and diversity in the marketplace of ideas on campus. Only with both a left wing and a right wing can a cardinal fly.

Nicolás Millán Prieto is a member of the class of 2027 and can be reached at nmillan01@wesleyan.edu.