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June 06, 2009
Young Con Anthem
"The Young Con Anthem," created by two Dartmouth students
Students David Rufful and Josh Riddle made a rap video that they say was intended to spread the views of the Young Conservatives, a group started by Rufful and Riddle with "a devout mission to spread the love and logic surrounding true conservatism," according the organization's Web site.
Rufful and Riddle, both due to graduate in 2012, came to Dartmouth from the Northfield Mount Hermon School, a private school in Massachusetts.
"We didn't think it would blow up to be this big, but it was kind of a way for us to express a pretty unique view," Riddle said in an interview with The Dartmouth. "We kind of wanted to spread the love that's behind the conservative movement."
In the rap, Rufful and Riddle, who perform under the names Serious C and Stiltz, respectively, discuss the origins of their conservative values, saying: "Three things taught me conservative love / Jesus, Ronald Reagan plus Atlas Shrugged."
"I take the way I want to have relationships and my morals from the Bible and Jesus, the idea of supply side economics from Ronald Reagan and from Atlas Shrugged, "Riddle said in an interview, "obviously, I don't agree with all of [Ayn Rand's] religious philosophies, but it's all about the power of the individual."
Riddle said his views are "more valid" because of the diverse influences that contribute to his conservatism.
The video was meant to start a dialogue about politics, Riddle said, not to offend any group. At one point in song the lyrics say: "Don't matter if you're gay, straight, Christian, Muslim / There's one thing we all hate, it's called socialism."
"I just hope that people understand that in no way are we trying to hate on anybody," Riddle said.
The online response to the video, which currently has a 1.5 out of five rating on YouTube, has varied. One commenter on the conservative blog Hot Air expressed approval for "the message, the messengers and the media."
A commenter on YouTube, however, disagreed.
"And this folks ... is why we become Democrats," the commenter wrote.
Rufful said that there has been "hateful commentary" in response to the video, particularly from liberal bloggers.
"There's been death threats -- waking up to a video of a guy with a skull, that's not really what we were looking for," he said, referring to the YouTube video response from a user named NikolaiRaged.
Scott Johnson, a contributor to the conservative blog Power Line, who graduated from Dartmouth in 1973, praised the video in an interview with The Dartmouth.
"I thought it was heartening to see some very bright young people who have thought about the issues and are reacting to current events trying to communicate in a way that is contemporary and good humored," Johnson said.
"I certainly appreciated what they had to say, and I couldn't believe how funny it was and how biting it was," Johnson said. "I was just laughing about it all day."
Both Harrison Davies, president of the College Republicans, and Bret Vallacher, president of the College Democrats, said they had not heard about the video until they were asked to comment by The Dartmouth.
"I have to admit, at first I thought it was funny and actually a Colbert-esque satire," Vallacher said after watching the video. "Yet, as this tirade staggers on, it tragically exposes the completely irreconcilable views of modern day neo-conservatism."
Rufful said he came up with his alias, "Serious C" because he is "seriously Christian and conservative," according to the group's Web site. Riddle, who is 6' 9" tall, was called "Stiltz" by his friends because of his height.
"We don't claim to be rappers. We're not pursuing a rap career," Rufful said when asked if the duo had any plans to create other videos. "Spreading the conservative message is more of our goal."
The YouTube video was shot on Dartmouth's campus in the Rockefeller Center and Occom Commons.
Official Lyrics to Young Con Anthem
Serious C:
“Yo this ones for all the young conservatives.
I rep the Northeast and I’m still a young con,
Let your voice release, you don’t have to be obamatrons.
I debate any poser who don’t shoot straight,
Government spending needs to deflate,
Your ideas are lightweight,
Ya careers in checkmate
I frustrate. I increase the pulse rate
I hate when,
government dictatin, makin, statements, bout how to be a merchant,
How to run a restaurant, how to lay the pavement
Bailout a business, but can’t protect an infant
Deficiencies are blatant, young con treatment
I stand one man, outnumbered at my college
Thank you Miss Cali for reminding us of marriage
Can’t support abortion, and call yourself a Christian
I support life, you’re a puzzled politician
Terrorists were imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay,
Now they’re in our neighborhoods, planning out doomsday
No such thing as utopia,
no government can control ya, baby ya,
Reap the benefits hard work, self reliant
Listen to Stiltz, my dude’s a lyrical giant
Yo Stiltz... make it two time... please”
Stiltz:
“I’m 6’9 head and shoulder above the rest
Liberals playin checkers, I’m playin chess
My conservative view is drill baby drill
You can say you hate me but
I’m praying for you still
My dislike for thee most def is not hyperbole
Taxes are the subject and I will spit them verbally
I’m just livin life a conservative philosophy
Sorry Hilary not a right wing conspiracy
We need more women with intellectual integrity
I’m talkin Megyn Kelly not Nancy Pelosi
My main motto is you best work hard
It’s not the hand you were given, but how you lay down your cards
I don’t speak lies but I spit the facts
28% the new capital gains tax
Porkulus bill lacks a few stats
The more money we spend, the more mine is worth Jack
The Bible says we’re a people under God,
Usin radar for radical Jihad
AIG was hooked up by Chris Dodd
A classy gift ain’t an Ipod
The standards of my crew ain’t republicans dude
I’m reppin Jesus Christ and conservative views
Study history and true conservative moves
Every single time they refuse to lose
I’m starting to see a modern day Jimmy Carter
When really nothin but a Reagan era starter”
Serious C:
“Yo, We americans son
Hit ya with some knowledge
The movement has begun
Everyone can succeed
Because our soldiers bleed, for us
I said it in the verse,
now I’ll say it in the chorus”
Stiltz:
“We young conservatives son
Hard work is our motto
The movement has begun
EVERYONE can succeed cause our soldiers bleed, daily
My views are rock solid, no chance you can break me”
Serious C:
“Phase me, make me, into something that ain’t me
Serious c... can’t nobody shake me
great like the Gatsby, poppin posers like acne
Don’t matter if your gay, straight, Christian or Muslim
There’s one thing we all hate, called socialism.
It’s loathsome, and America ain’t the outcome,
Raise taxes on the people,
And you’re gonna feel symptoms, problems
I gotta message for a young con:
superman that socialism,
waterboard that terrorism”
Stiltz:
“I fulfill the role that’s inherently mine
Teaching politics through my rap and my rhyme
I’m signing off this track with a question in mind
How will this country get its precious change in time?
Three things taught me conservative love:
Jesus, Ronald Reagan, plus Atlas Shrugged
Saving our nation from inflation devastation
On my hands and my knees praying for salvation”
Serious C:
“Yo, We americans son
Hit ya with some knowledge
The movement has begun
Everyone can succeed
Because our soldiers bleed, for us
I said it in the verse,
now I’ll say it in the chorus”
Stiltz:
“We young conservatives son
Hard work is our motto
The movement has begun
EVERYONE can succeed cause our soldiers bleed, daily
My views are rock solid, no chance you can break me”
Wild Thing's comment..........
I saw these guys on FOX news the other day. I was very impressed and it is so great to see all these various new people too that we never knew about before....good conservatives.
Some of the digs they got in at liberals were hilarious.
I could see that as an effective tool to reach some people who might not otherwise listen to a conservative message. I give them credit for taking a stand like that and not hiding it.
The reactions of the libs, the death threats and all, show that it hits pretty close to home.
HERE is the LINK to their website.
....Thank you Richard for sending this to me.
Posted by Wild Thing at June 6, 2009 07:46 AM
