Off and Running
Posted: August 31, 2011 | Author: Raj Kannappan | Filed under: 2011-2012 | Leave a comment »
Chief Speechwriter for President George W. Bush and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld will speak on October 27 at Lewis Auditorium. Photo courtesy of AEI.
Welcome to returning and new members of the Cornell Republicans!
I hope everyone found something worthwhile at our first meeting. The CRs is an organization made up of students from various backgrounds (I bet you were surprised to find more than a few ILRies at the meeting) and who believe in differing strains of conservatism. If you didn’t notice this at the first meeting, you will as the semester progresses.
We make a concerted effort to engage the community in various ways: hosting speakers, debating groups like the Democrats, Libertarians and Organization for Labor Action, campaigning, writing for publications, and organizing informal events with other on-campus groups. Our hope is that these practices foster debate and allow conservatives to express their views boldly and freely. Think of the CRs as an intellectual and political home for conservatives.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a freshman, sophomore, junior, or even a senior. It’s never too late to become involved politically, especially on a campus where discourse is often one-sided. And you can become as involved as you choose: Some members attend meetings regularly, some choose to help out only with events, and some come to meetings whenever their schedule permits.
I look forward to working with all of you this year to further the conservative movement. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to email me at rk398@cornell.edu or any of the other Executive Board members, whose contact information is listed on the “About” page.
Calling All Freshmen!
Posted: July 26, 2011 | Author: Lucia Rafanelli | Filed under: 2011-2012 | Leave a comment » The new school year is approaching and we at the Cornell Republicans (or the CRs, as we’re often called) are excited to welcome the next wave of young conservatives to Cornell!
As a third-year member of the CRs, I can say to our incoming freshman that it’s a great outlet for conservatives to connect with each other, network, put on events, and be activists. Last year, for instance, we hosted Karl Rove as a speaker. Not only did I get to see him speak, but, because I was involved with the CRs, I personally accompanied him from his hotel to the event. And as if that wasn’t enough, I attended a private dinner reception after his presentation with Rove and about 20 other campus Republicans. After this, he generously offered to sign any pictures CRs members sent him from that evening.
It was certainly a night to remember. It was simply fascinating to hear Rove’s take on a host of political topics and especially enthralling to listen to his first-hand account of his and President Bush’s activities on September 11th.
I never would have had such an experience had I not been part of the CRs, nor would I have had the opportunity to get to know many of the smart, energetic college conservatives I know today.
So whether you decide to usher at a speaking event, volunteer for a local campaign, or march bravely through a sea of liberals in the homecoming parade, I urge all of you conservatives — and all who are simply curious about the conservative movement — who arrive at Cornell in the fall to become active in the Cornell Republicans.
Welcome!
Posted: July 20, 2011 | Author: michael | Filed under: 2011-2012 | Leave a comment » Karl Rove speaks to a packed crowd at Call Auditorium last Spring. Photo courtesy of the Cornell Review.
The Cornell Republicans are thrilled to enter the 2011-2012 academic year, not only because of the exciting events and activities ahead of us, but also because of the chance to welcome new Cornellians to the Hill! Whether you’re new to campus and interested in conservative politics or are returning and looking to get more involved, we’d love to have you at one of our weekly meetings this semester in Goldwin Smith Hall, room G22 on Mondays at 7PM.
We’ve revamped the website to make it easy to navigate for you and easy to update for our membership. On the “About” page, you’ll find the Executive Board’s contact information; feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions about the CRs. The “Events” page will have all the details about upcoming events as soon as they’re confirmed, along with a description of the types of things new members can look forward to. This year we’re also introducing the members’ blog. Here you’ll find everything from meeting recaps in case you missed it to, occasionally, members’ thoughts on political issues of the day both on and off campus. As O-Week draws closer, check back for posts from current members writing about their experiences with the CRs in past years.
Finally, if you want to get more involved with campus politics, we encourage you to check out other groups conservative Cornellians enjoy, like the Cornell Review, Cornell Law’s Federalist Society, and Freedom and Free Societies.