Charlie Kirk, a conservative radio talk show host and internet personality, is well known for going to college campuses to try and engage students in conversation. On one occasion, a student asked Kirk, “Why are you here?” To which he replied, “When people stop talking, really bad stuff starts. When marriages stop talking, divorce happens. When civilization stops talking, civil war ensues. When you stop having a human connection with someone you disagree with, it becomes a lot easier to want to commit violence against that group.”

He continued, “What we, as a culture, have to get back to is being able to have reasonable disagreement where violence is not an option. … Isn’t [that] why we have the First Amendment — to try to push our boundaries and to hear things that might make [us] mildly uncomfortable?” The student, however, answered back, “This doesn’t make me mildly uncomfortable. … It makes me angry.”

It’s instances such as the one between Kirk and that student, or the various feuds we hear about elsewhere on social media, that help us unpack statistics like what was found in a recent Heterodox Academy report. According to their 2023 Campus Expression Survey (CES), nearly 80% of the 4,730 surveyed college students are reluctant to share their views on controversial issues in their classroom settings concerning issues such as “gender roles, sexual orientation, race, abortion, politics, religion, COVID-19, free speech, trans identity, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

Research Director Alex Arnold explained to The College Fix that while they “have a forthcoming research brief that examines how identifying as liberal or conservative … affects students’ reluctance to discuss a number of controversial topics in the classroom,” there was no data to reveal at the moment. Additionally, American Association of University Professors (AAUP) Spokesperson Kelly Benjamin also shared with The Fix his opinion “that the fear that the free exchange of ideas does not occur on campuses has been grossly exaggerated.” And he also stated that faculty members should be shielded “from external political pressures.”

However, as the report stated, “A core mission of higher education is fostering open discussion — especially of controversial topics.” It continued, “University and college missions statements are replete with claims that they aim to

embrace ‘freedom of ideas, inquiry, and expression’ (University of Rochester), ‘guarantee the freedom of inquiry required by rigorous thinking and the quest for truth’ (Fordham University), affirm a ‘historical commitment to academic freedom and open inquiry’ (Southern Methodist University), and ‘include a commitment to...free inquiry’ (Princeton University).” And yet, “if high proportions of students feel reluctant to discuss controversial issues, universities and colleges should be concerned about how well they are pursuing their missions.”

Digging deeper, the CES found that whether a student was a brand-new freshman, or a fourth-year senior had little to no impact on willingness to discuss these major political issues. “We compared first-year students to students who’ve been in college longer and saw that the proportion of students reporting reluctance to engage in inquiry about complex and controversial issues remains more or less steady — there were no statistically significant differences relative to years a respondent has been in college.” In fact, if anything, it was “fifth year or more” students that seemed to be most consistently hesitant.

Considering these findings, the survey concluded:

“The CES data about the proportion of students who report reluctance to discuss controversial issues represents both a challenge and opportunity for leaders in higher education. The challenge is to create an environment where students feel comfortable engaging with difficult topics, while the opportunity lies in equipping them with the skills to navigate complex discussions and come to reasoned convictions. By fostering a culture of open inquiry and respectful dialogue, institutions can help students develop knowledge and habits of thought to prepare them for the diverse perspectives they will encounter in their personal and professional lives.”

On this topic, Riley Lang, a former intern for Family Research Council, shared some of her experiences in a comment to The Washington Stand. Throughout her years at college, she had multiple experiences in which she was faced with biased material that went directly against her Christian and conservative values. Whether it was a book criticizing all police officers as racist, or a professor arguing that biological sex is a myth, Lang was determined to share her views on the issues that mattered.

As she shared, there were some positive experiences in which she was able to speak freely and engage in conversation with some students. However, in multiple cases, Lang found her views being silenced by her professors, getting “cussed out” by her classmates, and getting kicked out of class group chats. In some instances, she was sent to the dean’s office. And while her experiences were unpleasant, she says she learned a lot. She emphasized, “I don’t really know what can be done” to improve the political climate on campuses. However, “The more that students speak up in class in a Christian and logical way,” she insisted, the more “we’re gonna win the battle.”

Lang explained how a common theme in those who were unwilling to discuss differing opinions was one of emotion. Often, she stated, emotions would cause them to lose their arguments and credibility or become impossible to communicate with. As such, “When Christians and conservatives get so emotional and become activists themselves, they’re gonna lose the audience.” Ultimately, our job isn’t to “win over” people. Rather, as Christians, our goal is “being a light to others.”

As part of this, Lang encouraged students facing political pressure at school to continue to pursue excellence. “Be a good student,” she said. Colossians 3:23 states, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” 2 Corinthians 8:21 tells us to “aim at what is honorable.” And Titus 2:7 says, “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity.” All these verses (and more) are examples of how Christians are called to rise above our strenuous circumstances. Despite the troubles Lang had in school, she expressed, “I worked really, really hard so that my professor could have nothing against me.”

And this same principle applies to all students who feel their values are challenged by their teachers or classmates. “Act with integrity,” Lang concluded, “so that they can’t have anything against you. If they hate your beliefs, [that’s] fine. But they shouldn’t have anything against you personally.”

And really, these same principles apply to all believers in the public square. As Kirk put it, when people stop talking, bad stuff starts. As Christians, let’s continue to encourage ongoing dialogue with all people, no matter their worldview, with integrity, love, and compassion as we share the truth.