Politics at TIP

Most TIP participants hold some form of political viewpoint, as characterized below:

Anarchists/Communists

During TIP East Term II, many students were found to have anarchist and or communistic beliefs. Heated debates about the failure of democracy were heard at the Durham Bulls game, the Union, and multiple common rooms. One very vocal TIPster subscribed to the "nuke everyone then commit suicide" party. Surprisingly, when asked, most students firmly believed in the Communistic government, if it was executed ideally, rather than realistically.

Democrats

A majority of TIPsters are democrats. Tom James is the president of a Young Democrats Club at his school, and it's probable that others have done similarly. Republicans are in the minority at TIP.

One day in 2009, outspoken conservative, John Vaughan, asked Peter Sloan and Will Harris why everyone at TIP was liberal. The answer was short and harsh. "Because TIPsters are smart." Needless to say, John was scarred for life and seriously reconsidered his political affiliations.

Republicans

'Republicans are a rare breed of political animal almost non-existent at TIP. As one fourth year put it in his speech several years ago, "TIP is wonderful in that everybody is totally accepting of everyone else's viewpoints. Unless, of course, you happen to be a Republican."

At East 2004, the unimaginable happened when two openly Republican TIPsters were in the same course (McWorld), along with one pro-Bush Democrat and Logan Wall, who accepted the demise of communism and regarded globalization as inevitable, making four semi-to-very conservative and/or not liberal viewpoints in the same room.

As it happens, three more "open" Republicans of 2004 (Angie, Eowyn, and Emily) scoured the campus in search of a Fellowship of politically like-minded TIPsters (such a a few unnamed inhabitants of the Brown Sex Pit). Though the results were slightly less than stellar, Angie and Eowyn renewed their efforts in 2005 and found that half their class were open or closet Republicans. After questioning more of the campus, they found a number of sequestered and/or outspoken GOP's. They have high hopes for the ultimate balance of political viewpoints at TIP, but realize that this will in all likelihood never happen.

Also noteworthy were three fourth year Republicans at East, Term 1 in 2003 whose speech was a discussion concluding that the only thing better than TIP was the NRA.

At Duke East Term I 2008, the unthinkable happened. A super-republican named Scotty camed to TiP. BFF to Ann Coulter, Scotty roamed the campus, slandering "all the gays in San Fransisco" and trying to convert all the Jews he found to Christianity. Scotty's greatest challenge came in the form of Jordan R., whom he tried to convert one day while she was doing her laundry. She defended herself fiercely, summoning both her Jewish roommate Hannah and Julia the Jew Next Door, until Scotty whipped out his pocket New Testament. Utterly thrilled, the Jewish TiPsters debated him until Jordan's laundry was dry, at which point they left. On WaSW, Scotty freaked out at all of the crossdressers and whacked any guy he saw with his bible. He was loved. During the entire term, Cat Hollander tried desperately to track him down, but failed terribly. She is a republican too, which seriously detracts from her awesomeness.

The Duke East Term II Quadfest scavenger hunt included any pro-Republican. None were found.