If you’ve ever picked up a copy of the Binghamton Review, then you know they’re not afraid to voice their political opinions. The opening sentence of their mission statement is “Binghamton Review is a non-partisan, student-run periodical of conservative thought at Binghamton University,” and later states “it is our duty to expose the warped ideology of political correctness that dominates this university.” Release sat down with the Review to discuss how their ideology relates to issues on campus.
Since its inception in 1987, the Binghamton Review has been a conservative publication that has shifted more to incorporate the growing libertarian voice over the past years. With the libertarian interest growing, some members of the College Libertarians have also associated with and written for the Binghamton Review.
While many college libertarians actively advocate for the legalization of marijuana and marriage equality across the country, especially at more liberal schools, many of their more conservative beliefs fall into the background.
At a meeting, Samson Audino, president of the College Libertarians and a junior majoring in industrial and systems engineering, spoke about Yik Yak and the allegations of racism across campus.
“What can’t be forgotten is free speech is important at a public university,” Audino said. “I’m looking forward to Students for Change’s meeting with Harvey Stenger.”
Sitting down with some editors from the Binghamton Review, we discussed issues on campus and throughout the country that they plan to take more steps towards.
Some of the issues that the editors spoke about was opposing the National Security Agency’s (NSA) collectivization of data and being against Obamacare. They also expressed their desire to raise political awareness across campus and their ongoing attempt to get individual racks for the Review’s monthly publication.
During the latest round of Student Association Executive Board elections, the Binghamton Review put out an article endorsing candidates as well as airing complaints with the current E-Board. While many organizations, as well as residential communities, decided not to endorse a candidate for vice president of multicultural affairs (VPMA), the Binghamton Review wrote, “As we have been asking for the last two decades, why exactly does this position exist?”
Daniel Milyavsky, editor emeritus of the Binghamton Review and vice president of the College Libertarians, said the Review decided not to endorse anyone for the position because it’s not convinced anyone ever does anything substantial with the position.
“I don’t know anyone who actually knows what the VPMA does on a daily basis,” said Milyavsky, a senior majoring in biology.
After discussing the VPMA, the discussion moved to Students for Change.
Milyavsky complained about the recent Lecture Hall protests run by the advocacy group and said, “You will definitely see something about the protests in the Review soon,” as well as his belief that they are an “anti-free speech group.” He promised something written online by the week’s end that will also be published in the Binghamton Review’s April edition.
Sean Glendon, the editor-in-chief of the Review and a junior double-majoring in accounting and business administration, called Students for Change’s demands to the University’s administrators “unrealistic.”
“They need to work together and not talk down to them,” Glendon said.
Milyavsky and Glendon also discussed one of Students for Change’s long term goals: “There should be a mandatory cultural competency course as a general education requirement for all Binghamton University students in order to be eligible for graduation.”
They explained how during the 1990s, the pluralism general education requirement was created for this reason. They also mentioned how the Binghamton Review had fought this requirement at the time, and Milyavsky commented that if Students for Change continues with this demand, “We’re definitely gonna fight that.”