Warrior talks politics

The hall was packed full of people anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Ultimate Warrior. But there was a conspicuous lack of hand-drawn signs, painted faces and the likes of Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage and Vince McMahon. \nWarrior, who had his name legally changed from James Hellwig in 1993 when he first left the then-World Wrestling Federation, modified the "Always Believe" philosophy he popularized during his professional wrestling days to "Always Believe in the Conservative Cause." \nWarrior spoke in front of a packed lecture hall on behalf of the IU College Republicans Tuesday night, vehemently defending conservative ideals. \n"The difference between a liberal and a conservative is the difference between feeling and thinking," Warrior quipped. "Life doesn't work the way liberals want it to. Instead, their utopian view of life will ultimately lead to the end of our civilization ... The only thing liberalism has created is the road paved to hell with good intentions." \nWhile Warrior sometimes made self-deprecating jokes about his previous profession in the "squared circle," he never deviated from the agenda of relaying his conservative stance.\n"In your own life, political ideas that you want to happen in the Republican agenda are only as strong as the philosophical base they're sitting on," Warrior said. "The philosophical base is only as strong as each of you, as individuals, live by conservative philosophy."\nAs for the war in Iraq, Warrior said President George W. Bush's actions were flawed only because the information was flawed.\n"We should not have had the war to provide freedom for the people of Iraq only," Warrior said. "I don't believe (President Bush) did it under those circumstances. I believe that he did it under faulty intelligence information and everything that happened there. I still believe that we might still find (the weapons of mass destruction)."\nChairman of the IU College Republicans Angel Rivera said the group brought the Warrior to campus both because of his recognition with college-aged students and his message of championing conservatism.\n"We brought him in because the Warrior's a popular guy among Hoosiers," Rivera said. "But he also brings a very substantial and important message about what being a conservative is all about, and that's very important to us."\nRivera said the Warrior was also employed as a recruiter of sorts for the IU College Republicans.\n"He's kind of an emissary to people that may not be politically inclined," Rivera said. "They have to realize that they must get involved in the conservative movement because it is here where they belong."\nIU College Republicans Events Director Andrew Lauck said he enjoyed Warrior's presentation not only because of its conservative agenda, but also because of its energetic delivery.\n"My favorite part of it was to see someone that's so energetic about what he had to say," Lauck said. "You get a lot of speakers to come to campus and they're really cut and dry, but with the Warrior, he engaged the audience by asking questions. And the fact that he's so passionate about what he had to say made him entertaining to everyone, regardless of their political stance." \nWith his painted face and bouts in the wrestling ring now a distant memory, Warrior said his goal is to relay his beliefs and to guide his listeners. \n"It's my role to go out there and be a mentor," Warrior said. "(People say), 'here's a guy that you watched when you were a little kid, and he's out being the man he should be.' I'm not trying to be friends; it's not my goal to go out when I talk to kids to be friends with them. It's to go out and be a mentor."\n-- Contact senior writer Dan Patrick at djpatric@indiana.edu.