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This article was written by a young college Republican in South Carolina.
Last year was a marathon. Primaries and runoffs and the debates and the general election, all in a little over nine months. It was a long road but it ended in a win. Now, the new year is almost upon us, and new political battles have manifested. Here are a few of those battles that all Republicans, especially young Republicans, need to take on that will shape current and future generations in this state.
One, abolishing free speech zones on college campuses. These are mostly illegal according to a few different cases. Yet at least one University campus in our state still has them. On Winthrop University’s campus in Rock Hill, there are only five low-traffic areas available for use without University approval. Being a public university, the first amendment actually protects speech on most accessible parts of campus. With this in mind, it should be an easy political win to write our legislators to pass a blanket abolition of free speech zones, with obvious protection for time, place, and manner restrictions, as is the University’s right.
Two, passing of anti-DEI legislation. DEI is on the decline, and with government control and a lack of appetite for it, it’s time to bury DEI in South Carolina. We young Republicans aren’t legislators but we do hold sway in politics. A very small portion of a district’s population actually engages with lawmakers, so we can sway the choices and beliefs of our lawmakers. We need to be literate and politically informed on the text and track of bills in the state legislature and to push these bills over the top when it comes time to whip votes. There was anti-DEI legislation last year, but it failed. It’s time to remodel it and push it forward again. Bring up the topic at your local GOP meetings and email your elected representatives to see what their priorities are.
Three, changing hearts and minds on pro-life issues, and embracing not just pro-life, but pro-children. This is the most important issue. The pro-life movement post-Dobbs received its first major victory in November, when Florida defeated a constitutional amendment that would have enshrined abortion in the state’s constitution. Make no mistake, the measure got 57% support from voters, but Florida has a 60% threshold to pass new constitutional amendments that the measure couldn’t surmount.
This presents two interesting questions: should we aim to raise the threshold to pass constitutional amendments? And are there ways we can make pro-life palatable without majorly increasing the number of abortions in the state? Whatever the answers to those questions, we must reinforce the pro-life culture in South Carolina. This will be the undertaking of a political generation, and will require deep education on the subject and a mastery of rhetoric. It will also take heavy mobilization. But what you can do right now is reinforce your family’s pro-life values, and thoughtfully discuss the issue with friends. But no demonizing your uninformed pro-choice aunty just for fun. And, importantly, take criticism where it is warranted. For example, many left-leaning people (not just Democrats) have the perception that pro-lifers are only pro-life until the point of birth, whereas afterwards we become critics of many social programs that benefit families, especially new parents. Maybe we ought to heed that criticism and discuss paid parental leave and/or greater tax breaks for families, or reducing the taxes on items that families often buy. South Carolina, a state that prides itself on its pro-life culture, only offers 6 weeks of paid leave for state employees, with no paid leave for private employees, with federal-level unpaid leave for up to 12 weeks. Although there are top-line downsides to paying a worker who isn’t working, having family-friendly business policy will make the state a boom town by bringing in and incentivizing new families that help the state economy grow over time. Remember, more people buy more things.
The abortion issue in South Carolina is a microcosm for state politics at large. The issue doesn’t go away during non-election years, and it takes consistent progress and evolution to achieve and maintain pro-life victories. We must improve our commitment to women and babies. It means pushing for pro-life values with our friends and family, and advocating for life after birth. It also means discussing financial incentives for having children, and for reducing the cost of living for families.
We must realize the political battles we fight today, like abortion, will shape the future for our children tomorrow. We must fight for what we believe in, lest we look into the eyes of our children and say we failed them.