Travis Cantrell | What about the Flashers?

Penn’s local Tea Party organization is no more. According to a sobering report in The Daily Pennsylvanian, Penn’s branch of the Philadelphia Tea Party Patriots recently disbanded just short of its one-year anniversary, a truth the PTPP website has yet to come to terms with.

Citing a lack of student involvement as the fatal factor in his organization’s disbandment, founder Daniel Chinburg — a 2010 Graduate School of Education graduate — emphasized that the party’s public image affected the willingness of students to participate. Similarly, my ex-girlfriend broke up with me because she needed time to find herself and she was “not ready to be in a relationship right now.” Not, you know, because I am a terrible, selfish lover and regularly introduced her as my “future ex-girlfriend” in public situations.

While Chinburg’s hopes of Tea Party glory at Penn have been dashed by an omnipresent lack of student interest, he is not without a scapegoat or two. Somewhat perturbed over a low turnout at a Tea Party debate last October between two students — both in support of the same party, oddly enough — Chinburg pointed to apathy, general student busyness and a negative public image as major repellents.

However, following the complete termination of the Tea Party at Penn, Chinburg focused in and laid the blame on the media’s portrayal of the Tea Party, coupled with Penn students’ apparent love of political correctness, stating that “someone coming out as a conservative or a libertarian on campus is harder than coming out as a homosexual.”

I completely understand where Chinburg is coming from. Social stigma and political correctness do run rampant at Penn, stifling populations too afraid to expose themselves for what they are. Earlier this month, I founded the first-ever Flashers at Penn, or FAP, for those that seek to fully explore and celebrate the intoxicating combination of two of the most historically beloved things worldwide — full frontal nudity and surprises. While interest in the group has slowed exponentially from day one, with myself being the sole payer of the $15 activity fee, I have my reservations as to why this is so.

A recent, fictional online survey of all Penn students revealed that 33 percent of them believe that flashing could be a fun and therapeutic practice; so why the lack of involvement? I’ll tell you why: bad media representation and Penn’s infatuation with political correctness. When, two weekends ago, a report by the Division of Public Safety went out reporting the “lewd behavior” of a charter member on Locust Walk, I thought to myself, “Finally, some publicity! And University-wide! What great fortune!” But I was naive to celebrate. The media spun what was originally an act of beauty and philanthropy into something horrible, something wretched. Everyone in the culture knows that the media is propped up by sizable contributions from Big Pants and Big Underwear, but that does not make it any easier to be able to openly flash on campus without fear of ridicule due to mistruths perpetuated by the media. I dare say it is difficult — quite difficult, really — to flash openly on Penn’s campus, and that needs to change.

This brings me to my point: Penn needs a center for Tea Partiers and Flashers alike, a la the LGBT Center. While the LGBT Center provides counseling and mentorships for sexual and gender minorities at Penn, where do the Tea Partiers go? What about the Flashers, Amy? Where do people go who want to expose themselves to others or discuss fiscal conservatism while denying the implications of a social movement founded on anti-intellectualism, bigotry and ignorance? We need mentoring! Role models! The gays have a plethora of prominent and successful public figures. The Tea Partiers have Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck and Michele Bachmann — beacons of stability and sensibility to guide them through the rough times ahead. Yet they are far removed, distant figures of celebrity whose brave outing as Tea Partiers has brought them constant ridicule.

But what about the Flashers? Sure, there was Janet’s Super Bowl performance, and there’s always the annual conference sponsored by Big Trench Coat, but what locally? The constant oppression from the media cripples us — us members of the Tea Party, us Flashers, us Quakers. Until Flashers at Penn and Penn Tea Party have a joint center, FAPPTP (pronounced with lots of spittle), to help counter negative social and cultural stigmas, members of Penn Tea Party and FAP alike will never flourish on campus. And that is just wrong.

Travis Cantrell is a College junior from Glenmoore, Pa. His email address is tcant@sas.upenn.edu. Penn, Paper, Farce appears every other Tuesday.

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