Perhaps unsurprisingly, the UCF College Democrats and Knights for Socialism ignored LN’s meeting requests. However, two clubs gladly accepted our invite, the Young Americans for Liberty (YAL), endorsed by former Representative Ron Paul (R – TX), and the democratically socialist Progressive Action.
First, YAL Vice President Spencer Kovach and Secretary Brett Feller, both age 21 and studying political science, planned to meet with me over coffee at the Technology Commons building at UCF, only to find that the java shop was disappointedly closed for the day. Nonetheless, we chatted, while other students relaxed on nearby couches to watch the large flat screen television broadcasting animated flicks and occasionally glanced back at us in curiosity.
Left to right: Secretary Brett Feller and Vice President Spencer Kovach
LN: What would you specifically like to see the Trump Administration do for our nation’s youth? Mr. Feller: YAL as an organization actively champions drug policy reform. Based on the current atmosphere and appointment of Jeff Sessions as Attorney General, I don't expect improvement in that area. One aspect that is very relevant to college-goers would be student loans and government intervention within the university system. I know these may have dramatic changes over the next four years, especially trying to move the administration away from student loans. Vice President Kovach had quite a different take on the question: Mr. Kovach: I don't want to see Trump do anything for millennials because they don't deserve to be catered to and need to mature enough. Young people start as Liberals and later switch to being Conservative. Just wait, because millennials are the daycare generation. They're just looking for attention. This whole protest culture, they're pretending. They protest about the most irrelevant things. LN: Do you feel comfortable expressing your beliefs on campus or do you ever hide your opinions due to fears of discrimination from colleagues or professors? Mr. Kovach: Around students, no problem. Around lecturers, you have to be a good little commie to get those extra points. I will either keep my outlooks quiet or just nod my head. Their whole lives have been around an institution of academia, and I don't expect professors to have any real-world opinions that would actually matter. Mr. Feller: I think one problem is when millennials will not be friends with others holding contrasting views. I don't want that to happen to anyone on campus regardless of whether they're super liberal, super conservative, libertarian, what have you. LN: What is something you would like to say to parties on opposing sides of the political spectrum? Mr. Kovach: Resign immediately. Stop taking corporate bribes. I think a lot of them should be tried for treason. When you're wasting trillions of dollars of taxpayer money because you're getting campaign donation, that’s a little illegal. I then asked for their feelings regarding the recent controversy surrounding UCF’s former diversity chair Grayson Lanza, who resigned after his Facebook post stating “Trump supporters are not welcome on our campus” went viral, as reported by Liberty Nation. Mr. Kovach: Grayson said much worse than that. He’s an awful person. He's harmful to this country. That's what makes me worried about this country because there are so many like him that believe opposing views should be met with violence or suppression. The Student Government Association receives $18 million of our tuition money every year, and then they appoint someone like that who tries to silence us. Mr. Feller (joked): To be fair, they’re putting in more spot racks in the gym this semester, so SGA is using our money wisely. I'm so happy. The Young Americans for Liberty lastly encouraged readers to follow them on Facebook and Twitter to receive updates on the works from young Republicans. It seems that YAL is a bright light in the face of some discouraging millennial figures, and perhaps Americans can rest that the country will be in good hands for the future. In part two, LN conducts an interview with Progressive Action President Stephen Beale, who holds quite a diverse outlook on the current political atmosphere in the U.S.
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