The leaves are falling, the days are getting colder, and lawns are being decorated with political signs, all of which are signals of the election day that has already come and passed. As a result of the election, more KO students have become involved in politics with the creation and revival of political-based clubs.
One such club is the KO Conservative Debate Club run by senior Samuel Rapp and junior Chase Gibson. While there has been a Conservative Club at KO in the past, Sam and Chase hope to focus more on discussions compared to previous years. The club was created in response to the lack of a conservative presence on campus. “We started the club because we wanted to show that there’s a presence of conservative views,” Sam said. “It’s not feasible to only have one viewpoint and it’s important to have others challenge your ideas and make you think better; in this way, you can have a healthy discussion.”
The leaders of the Conservative Debate Club emphasized that the club was not created in support of a particular candidate or viewpoint. So far, the club has held meetings discussing several hot button political issues such as abortion, the police, the Black Lives Matter Movement as well as their impact on the election and the country as a whole. “We’re not a pro-Trump club, but a club where people can say what they think about any topic and hear others,” Sam said. “We’re here to show what ideas are here on campus, not to support Donald Trump, and ultimately our goal is to have civil discourse.”
The club’s meetings include individuals with a wide range of political beliefs, thereby resulting in more complete and well-rounded discussions. “It’s been great having political diversity in our meetings,” Sam said. “For those who identify as conservative, it gives us a way to challenge our own thinking and grow our ideas, which is far better than having a group of people who simply agree on everything. It’s important to know what others think, why they think that way, and if their views differ, to see if you can find a sort of middle ground.”
This fall has also seen the introduction of a brand-new club on campus, the KO Democrats Club, run by seniors Sloan Duvall and Braeden Rose. The club was mainly created to promote voter participation and support Biden in the upcoming election. “A lot of people think if you can’t vote, you are out of the election process,” Sloan said. “However, everyone has a duty to participate in our democracy, and we have the most stake in our future.” Braeden agreed with this sentiment. “Even if we can’t vote, we can influence others who can and have a greater impact on the election than our single vote,” he said.
Recently, the club organized a postcard writing campaign in which 100 postcards were sent to Texas, which is a swing state this year, encouraging people to vote regardless of political affiliation. The club has also organized two virtual phone banking events as well as voter registration drives.
While the club was started with a focus on the 2020 election, Sloan and Braeden have many plans for the future of the club. “I’d love for it to be a year-to-year thing, obviously stronger around election years,” Braeden said. “We hope to lay the groundwork for a recurring club that invites speakers, economists to speak, or to write to local reps to change voting laws.” Braeden also pointed out the importance of local town elections which could be a possible focus for non-election years.
No matter your political affiliation or your personal beliefs, it’s important to discuss and challenge your ideas as well as to act upon them. Both clubs highly encourage participation and hope that you’ll attend meetings in the future. As Sloan explained, “We have the most stake in our future and have a duty to participate in our democracy and make the world a better place for us and generations to come.”
