Ashley Pierce is a political science freshman and Mustang Daily conservative columnist.
Steven Crowder’s visit to Cal Poly this past week was supposed to be centered around his political comedy act — but the audience got something even better.
Crowder thought it best to start the night with a Q&A; little did he know the questions would keep coming for his full time slot. Through all the questions and Crowder’s anecdotes, the audience (mostly young conservatives) was given advice for fighting the culture war the left has presented.
Crowder, who is a Fox News contributor and best known by his humorous YouTube channel, wanted first to be an actor. He landed a small role on the show “Greek” and it was there, he says, he learned conservatives were not welcome in Hollywood.
He was chatting with the director of the show about “South Park” when he learned his lesson, Crowder said.
“So I was telling him about ‘South Park,’ isn’t it funny how they just lampoon liberals?” he said to the director.
The director responded by telling Crowder he was missing the point of “South Park” and then let him go from the show.
“Next thing, I had a phone call to my agent that I was difficult to work with,” Crowder told his audience.
His experiences in Hollywood have given Crowder insight as to why the Republican Party today is now seen as a joke and little else in today’s society.
“I think the problem with Republicans and young Republicans is being too focused on politics,” Crowder said. “It never works. Barack Obama, the president, wasn’t elected; Barack Obama, the celebrity, was elected.”
He encouraged conservatives in the room to become engaged in anything but politics, and instead to get into the entertainment industry, an area the left has monopolized. Then and only then will conservatives catch up in getting our ideas out to the public.
“We’re behind in this cultural war,” Crowder said. “Politicians will always fail you, and that’s why I’d like to see young conservatives going into the entertainment industry or arts, influencing the people.”
When explaining the entertainment industry’s push for liberal values, he cited Tina Fey and Lena Dunham as examples of not just altering the idea of what a woman should be, but making it so there is only one acceptable type of woman.
“If you’re a woman who’s tall, puts on heels, pro-life and falls into the category of traditional values, then you’re not a woman,” Crowder said in mockery to the Hollywood image (but don’t be silly, that would be like the media attacking Taylor Swift — oh, wait).
In terms of fighting liberal bias in the classroom, Crowder not only had advice, but also his own experiences from his time in school to share.
Crowder, being from Canada, attended school in Quebec and a liberal bias in teachers, he said, was expected there.
He once spoke in class about nudity in a Canadian gay pride parade being wrong. His problem wasn’t with the gay pride parade, he explained to the audience, but with the amount of inappropriateness on public display.
He later asked to go the restroom and his teacher refused, Crowder said.
“I asked to go to the bathroom, she said, ‘No, not until you admit you were wrong about the gay pride parade,’” Crowder said.
Crowder did not apologize but instead threatened to go to the principal and the teacher then let him go. He encouraged the audience to do the same and not be afraid to stand up to professors or anyone in times like these.
“Don’t be afraid to pick fights that you may not be able to win,” Crowder repeated multiple times throughout the Q&A session.
Crowder’s overall message to the youth (and even the older generation that showed up) was to not be afraid to stand up for what you believe in, and to not let anyone push you around or tell you otherwise.
He encouraged the youth to speak out even if they’re lacking that Ph.D the person they’re arguing against has. Crowder urged the youth to get into fields in which they can influence the masses, rather than putting all hope into one political figure.
The war between liberals and conservatives won’t take place in Congress or in presidential elections, but instead in Hollywood and through the media, Crowder said.
“It’s a cultural battle, not a political battle,” Crowder stressed.
I don’t think he could be any more correct.