When using history as a guide, conservatism is more of a defense of what works than the deliberate shutdown of opposing views. The purpose of being conservative is so others can be liberal. They go hand in hand.

The Conservative column is my platform to provide solutions that lead to urban development, challenge leftist policies that stifle such opportunities and defend the ideas that protect freedom and liberty for Americans.

As a born-and-raised Detroiter, I’ve witnessed firsthand some of the economic and social issues plaguing inner cities across the United States, and I hope to use my voice as a platform that speaks to my fellow concerned urban constituents.

At its core, conservatism values competition, conflict and compromise of ideas to produce outcomes that are most beneficial to Americans. All aspects of the federal government’s structure — from checks and balances to the bicameral legislature — are byproducts of competing interests within the political arena that emerged during the drafting of our beautiful Constitution.

Conservatives seek to maintain a political system that fosters new ideas as opposed to silencing opposition. By accounting for alternative viewpoints, the nature of our government prevents tyranny of popular opinion and a centralized government. And when new ideas are allowed to flourish and aren’t stifled, that paves the way for diversity of thought that results in new creations.

Some of the greatest technological achievements and instances of ingenuity in U.S. history stemmed from the private sector. The greatest contributions to American culture have come from entrepreneurs and inventors having the freedom to create. We aren’t a country that relies on the government to innovate and drive the economy. The freedom of American democracy is the freedom to create and manifest the best future now.

This is why conservatives are primarily interested in implementing policies that maximize freedom. The strongholds of individual sovereignty are the right to bear arms, the alleviation of restrictions for upward mobility and the incentive pursue private enterprise in the free market.

Ultimately, the conservative is skeptical of any ideas that aren’t conducive to freedom. If we’re not free, we can’t reach our full potential. And if the system isn’t broken, there’s no need to fix it.

Joshua Nelson is a senior political science major. His column appears biweekly. He can be reached at jqnelson@syr.edu and followed on Twitter @joshqnelson.

Published on January 23, 2018 at 9:44 pm