After reading the story about Nick Fuentes controversy, I feel the need to speak out.

When I first became a Cyclone in spring 2014, I joined the College Republicans. For many right-of-center students, College Republicans is the only safe place on campus for conservative students.

Sadly, this is no longer the case. Over the course of two years, the College Republicans were infiltrated by and taken over by a bunch of alt-right devotees.

I came out as transgender and thought at least the College Republicans were once led by great student leaders like Nigel Hansen and Michelle (Aberle) Hartwell who promoted and supported the Big Tent of the GOP.

Starting in 2017, this tragically ended. College Republicans became a home to some of the most vicious forms of racism, misogyny, anti-Semitism, homophobic and transphobic environments.

Minority groups and women were allowed as long as we never stood up for ourselves. I learned the hard way.

I was helping a story that Daily writers were producing on having contradictory identities of being LGBTQ and a conservative. I even gave the College Republicans positive publicity. Rather than seizing the opportunity, members of the College Republicans conspired to have me thrown out.

They impeached me on several counts of “sexual assault” and “harassment.” I was impeached as a member in violation of their own Constitution which requires three-fourths majority to impeach.

After graduation, I spoke with some College Republicans members who stated that the “club had forgiven me and that the accusers were ‘campus leftists’ trying to discredit me and the College Republicans.” They even went so far as to blame on the two reporters who wrote the feature story as the main culprits. This from the party of personal responsibility.

In regards to Nick Fuentes, the College Republicans have had an almost overlapping relationship with Turning Point USA. I don’t buy the story of the College Republicans bowing out. This was a simple PR stunt.

The College Republicans need to be held accountable for their actions. They must disavow the alt-right unequivocally and expel those members who are alt-right.

They owe an apology to students of color, the Jewish community, the LGBTQIA community and women. Specifically for women because of the extreme misogyny and making light of sexual assault and harassment to mask their transphobia. The College Republicans do not represent the Republican party nor mainstream movement conservatism anymore.

As a Republican, it’s sickening and saddening to see an organization sell out its principles in order to increase membership. It’s sad that the College Republicans won’t live a conservative principle of personal responsibility and blame others for their actions.

Heather Dunn

Bachelor’s in accounting winter 2017

She, Her, Hers