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Students represent Hillsdale in D.C.
By Jodi Westrick
Collegian Reporter
Thirty-one years after conservative followers
met in Washington, D.C. to "affirm their support of the
conservative ideal," the Conservative Political Action
Conference (CPAC) is still going strong.
This might be due partly to the support of
Hillsdale's own College Republicans. For several years now,
students who share Republican ideals have made the nine-hour
journey to Washington to attend the conference.
The College Republicans will make this trip
again on Thursday. The conference begins Thursday morning and
ends Saturday evening. Students will leave late Wednesday evening
or early Thursday morning to hear the majority of the speakers.
"There are going to be some excellent
political minds there giving speeches and advice to new generations
of Republicans and future office holders," sophomore Tara
Peterson said. "D.C. itself is a very interesting place
to tour and have fun with friends."
While the appeal of a big city may be enough
to attract any young student to attend CPAC, many of the College
Republicans are looking forward to hearing from the speakers.
"Ann Coulter is just an amazing speaker
and a wonderful role model for any conservative female in general,"
sophomore Bristen Brickles said. "I love her books, but
after I heard her speak last year, hands down she was my favorite."
In addition to Coulter, the author of Slander
and Treason, Vice President Dick Cheney, Ed Gillespie of the
Republican National Committee and former presidential candidate
Alan Keyes will be speaking at the event.
"It's important for [us] to go to this
conference to show our support in the views we believe in,"
Brickles said. "We have to represent one of the most conservative
schools in the nation proudly. In order to do this, we must
attend the conference."
The College Republicans will also have a chance
to participate in book signings, luncheons, and dinners in addition
to the speakers.
CPAC is usually held in January, and according
to their Web site, it "is designed to advance important
everyday issues such as taxes, crime, culture and foreign policy
to provide basic conservative viewpoints and solutions."
In addition to the conference, CPAC also sponsors
scholarships for students, internships and the Reagan Award
which "honor[s] a conservative activist who best exemplifies
the Reagan spirit of outstanding achievement and selfless contributions
to the conservative movement."
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