Young Americans for Freedom provides platform for political conversation

Young Americans for Freedom, or YAF, is a political student organization on campus that advocates for conservative values.

“It was created by Young Americans Foundation, it was established in 1960, and kind of the mission since then has been to promote ideas such as limited government and free market capitalism, strong national defense,” said Tanner Holman, chapter president and political science senior.

Holman said a unique part of the organization is that ­­they work toward social ideas and recognize policies aren’t the only thing that lead to change. There are other factors like media and culture which play a role, he said.

Computer science senior Luke Hardin said like any other organization on campus, the YAF community gives a platform for like-minded individuals to interact with each other but also helps foster discussion.

Hardin, who is now the YAF treasurer, said he joined the organization to meet new people like him. He said he liked how they were willing to step out of their echo chamber and have a discussion with others.

The next tabling event will feature a discussion about capitalism said Austin Byboth, Spanish for global competence sophomore and organization secretary.

“I feel like when everyone is talking with each other, we come to a better idea than we would have to begin with,” Hardin said.

Gregory Garcia, finance and economics junior, said it’s important to bind one’s rights into something other than government.

Garcia, the organization outreach officer, said there will be five tabling events this semester talking about economics, values and other political issues.

In his experience at UTA, talking with people and having a discussion without resorting to name calling or identity politics has been very refreshing, Hardin said.

The organization is a classy political student organization, Byboth said. He said he almost felt like he was at church sometimes.

YAF has four big events annually: the 9/11 Never Forget project, the Berlin Wall Remembrance Ceremony, Free Speech Week and Remember Che Day, Holman said.

For the Berlin Wall event in November, the organization builds a small wall and spray paints things on them that they don’t believe in, before inviting students to tear it down. The Remember Che Day event is intended to highlight the negative aspects of Che Guevara, an Argentine marxist revolutionary often revered on college campuses, Holman said.

YAF also invites speakers to campus, such as Derek Green, who previously spoke to the organization on race relations in America, Holman said.

Garcia said as a member of YAF, he enjoys the forum for political discussions and also the opportunity to reflect on historical events important to the American consciousness.

“The ultimate goal is to create a climate on campus where we can, where students can feel free to express their ideas; not only to us but to professors and their fellow peers,” Holman said.

@KeyuriParab

features-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu