The future of the republican party

Article Published: Sunday, February 15, 2004
Passionate about being right

Leader of CU's College Republicans loves to challenge liberals

By Brittany Anas
Special to The Denver Post

BOULDER - Students and professors at the University of Colorado probably would never vote Brad Jones the most popular guy on campus. And the 20-year-old chairman of CU's College Republicans is proud of that.

He protests war protests. He enjoys making his liberal professors uncomfortable. He sells T-shirts with the motto: "Join us now or work for us later."

But what he enjoys the most is opening up a dialogue on a campus that he says is largely liberal.

"College politics are supposed to be fun," said Jones, who is known for sticking out his tongue-in-cheek sense of humor at Boulder's left-wingers.

"Take all the radicals from the '60s that grew up, and that's what Boulder is," Jones said.

Jones spun into the spotlight most recently with a bake sale that he organized as a forum to debate affirmative action.

His original plan was to price the cookies and cupcakes at different prices depending on the buyer's race.

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Jones argued that the pricing scale would demonstrate how affirmative-action programs in hiring, admissions and contracting draw harmful correlations between a person's race and his or her ability to achieve.

University officials threatened to halt the sale, calling it a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, state statute and university rules.

Jones threatened the administration with a lawsuit, because, he said, stopping the sale would be prior restraint.

The sides compromised and the bake sale ensued, with the College Republicans having a single price for all students along with a parody price list of "suggested donations."

Jones calmly articulated his viewpoints about affirmative action, as heated debates were erupting around him and the cupcakes he baked were being smashed into the ground.

He said he's got thick skin and self-confidence.

Jones joked that he is still catching up on hate e-mails from last month, when he launched a link on the College Republicans' website that solicited students to document any liberal biases they witnessed in the classroom.

He said that he also has received e-mails accusing the group of whining.

But Jones said the site is being used to collect hard evidence of liberal biases, so when the group goes to the administration or the legislature, it will have examples to back up its claims.

"I challenge anybody to go onto the website and read it objectively, and find any proof that we are blacklisting professors," Jones said. "It's just not there. We want to build a body of knowledge."

About 20 students so far have documented examples of liberal biases in the classroom, Jones said.

But the College Republicans, with Jones as their leader, don't just spark debates and open up forums for discussion. They like to party, too.

Jones said the group organized an "Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms" party in November.

"It was a celebration of everything that makes America great," said Jones, who has decorated his bedroom walls with the American flag, state flags and a rifle target.

The group also had a "conservative coming-out day" at the beginning of February, and Jones said that Republicans on campus were coming out of the woodwork.

Jones said he is passionate about the group and devotes at least two hours every day to it.

"You can't be a part-time student activist," he said.

Jones said that he starts the group's meetings by putting up a picture of Ronald Reagan and playing all-American band music.

He jokes as the meetings start: "The conspiracy is about to meet."

"We're supposed to be fun and wacky, and do stuff that the party as a whole can't get away with," Jones said.

Stephanie Strine, 21, a recent CU graduate who worked with Jones on the College Republicans last year, said she admires Jones' leadership skills.

"Brad is never afraid to speak up," Strine said. "He knows that administrators think he's a pain, ... but this is what he believes in, and he doesn't back down."

"Boulder is very different; it's a very utopian society," Strine added. "People don't want to hear other opinions."

Aside from his involvement with the College Republicans, Jones also works for CU's admissions office as the president of student ambassadors, a group that gives campus tours.

He also served in CU's student government as a co-senator for the School of Arts and Science during the 2002-03 academic year.

The Arts and Science Student Government attempted to impeach Jones and his co-senator, Antonia Gaona.

Jones and Gaona were able to overturn the impeachment, but Jones said it was a very taxing process and he felt it was a personal attack.

Jones, who is from Arlington, Va., will graduate in December with a degree in communications. Although he has law school in mind, he said he would like to be a ski bum for a little while.

Jones has not ruled out a career in politics, and he said he eventually would like to serve the public, perhaps on a school board.

"There's something about being in an elected office," he said. "There's something fun about it."

...same twisted thinking...

Which party doesn't involve alcohol and guns?