The contemporary American political imagination became acquainted with cruelty in 2016. President Trump’s first election campaign was laced with obscenities that grew to be taboo in the new 21st-century liberal America. His campaign championed slogans like “Build the Wall” and a crowning jewel of his first administration was his inflammatory “Muslim Ban.” Yet, Americans decided we didn’t mind and then we decided we didn’t mind again. The second Trump era, more brazen and bold than ever, has crossed lines that even a five-years-younger Trump would’ve never dared to. Cruelty is back in style, and it seems to be here to stay, but is there anything we can do about it? At Brown, yes, there is.
This past January, New York Magazine released a cover story titled “The Cruel Kids Table,” detailing a party of Millennial and Generation Z conservatives the night of the inauguration. While enjoying their victory lap, the reporter sought to understand what drew those young Americans to Trumpism. Many of their answers could be summed up succinctly: they just wanted to be able to say slurs again. Currently, our nation’s capital is filled with staffers and political pundits who believe that successful politics is achieved through an ability to knock others down. But at Brown we think a little differently.
Despite my scathing review of Andrew Yang’s policy stances, he said one thing I believe to be true: Brown students will fix the world Harvard students break. Brown University’s emphasis on collaboration rather than competition and learning rather than grades equips students with a holistic approach to pursuing a more perfect Union. The Open Curriculum encourages us to engage with the world in a meaningful way that transcends the banality of academic life. We are not bound by a predetermined set of philosophies that dictate our moral understanding. We create the collection of lessons within the University’s course offerings that will best prepare us to pursue our unique ambitions. Our well-roundedness equips us with the empathy to combat the cruelty that currently plagues our political discourse.
And yes, while Brown’s political constitution leans substantially left, this is not a conversation solely about a political party. I don’t believe that conservatism and cruelty are inextricable. During the first Trump term, Adam Serwer rose to popularity with his book “Cruelty is the Point.” But it doesn’t have to be. Brown has the ability to produce a new Republican, one that doesn’t rely on the low-hanging tactics of cruelty currently demonstrated by party leaders. This Republican could still want less federal involvement while understanding that pausing all federal aid is disruptive and will negatively affect the lives of nearly all Americans.
Brown is a school where success is not a zero-sum game. It’s a place where students don’t believe that providing Mexican immigrants an efficient and legal pathway to citizenship is going to take away from Brown student’s opportunities. Brown is a school that understands the importance of learning the diverse perspectives of our nation’s history. It’s a place that puts forth students who will advocate for the historically disadvantaged.
The era of “compassionate conservatism” — a political philosophy that prioritizes disadvantaged citizens using the government, charities and faith-based organizations — that President George W. Bush campaigned on does not have to be a forgotten concept. While we are allowed to disagree on the best way to support our country’s marginalized communities, we cannot disagree about the existence of said communities.
As Trump continues to flex his executive muscles and his supporters justify these extreme abuses of power in the name of “Making America Great Again,” we must remember that as Brown students, we are charged to make our country kinder.
Christian Davis ’27 can be reached at christian_davis @brown.edu. Please send responses to this column to letters@browndailyherald.com and other opinions to opinions@browndailyherald.com.
