In an article published earlier this year in Stanford University's The Cardinal Principle newspaper, Gregory Hirshman describes his disbelief at a mock debate between two Stanford faculty on same-sex marriage. After the first professor offers a defense of same-sex mariage, the rebuttal seems hardly one at all:

"The second [professor] responded that activists should not seek gay marriage at the current time because doing so would stimulate the conservative Republican base and impede on the broader progressive moment.  This response did not present any of the arguments which conservatives actually make against gay marriage.  The second professor had simply offered a different liberal perspective."

And so it is in many universities and colleges, where bumpersticker logic and animosity often trump reasoned debate on campus. The opportunity to get anywhere near a real discussion about marriage is missed, though partially because conservative youth activists themselves are scared stiff to broach the subject with their peers.

I recently had the opportunity to present some of our Leadership Institute activism training at the Ruth Institute's second annual "It Takes a Family to Raise a Village" (ITAF) conference.

What I found is an exceptional group of students, educators and activists who are very well prepared to defend marriage on campus, and very eager to help any interested student become a fellow champion for marriage. 

The ITAF program is an intensive educational experience that covers marriage and traditional values from multiple fields of study.

While the Ruth Institute does incorporate religious perspectives on marriage in its programs, it is non-denominational, and applies much more attention to the social, health science, economic, religious liberty and family law implications of marriage.

It's certainly unfair that supporters of marriage (by most accounts the majority of the public) are depicted as a bigoted caricature on campus, but the Ruth Institute provides the kind of answers student leaders need to overcome that stigma.

Combining the scholarship offered by the Ruth Institute with effective activism can bring around skeptics who have otherwise seen these ideas as contrary to the modern, free society.   

Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse, the founder of the Ruth Institute, would tell you that they are essential keys to liberty. She is the author of Love and Economics, a former economics professor at Yale University, and a senior fellow of the free-market Acton Institute -- to name only a few of her accomplishments.

Anyone well versed in the difference between state and society (which campus Marxists certainly aim to overlap) can observe that the stronger a society, the weaker the need for state intervention, and vice-versa. It's uncontestable that broken or high conflict families look more toward the stewardship and assistance of the state than low-conflict ones.

Unless you go to Brigham Young or Liberty, nobody is going to tell you that fighting for marriage on campus is easy. But the potential for building the youth movement is out there. It is undervalued as an asset to campus life, and at most institutions in this country, it is a completely unexplored opportunity.

Here are some ways to hit the ground running this fall:

• Remember: Marriage isn't just a political issue. It's also social.

Forget about ballot initiatives for a minute. Forget about what candidates claim their position is on this issue. What does the process and purpose of marriage even mean to the people you go to school with?  What is their insight into healthy human relationships and their purpose for society?

Too many groups for traditional values putter out early on because they don't assess the diversity of their issue. They're stuck in one mode of thinking, one kind of activism, or one kind of recruitment method.

Why not fight the hook-up culture on campus by hosting social events that promote dating and monogamy? If you want to reignite interest in traditional values, take matters into your own hands. Hold a party or offer a venue where college students can arrange or hold dates.

Maybe you've heard of this thing called dating or even seen a date arranged in a movie. These are the kinds of transactions that end with "Pick you up at 7?" instead of "Fool around in your dorm indefinitely?"

• Invite a speaker from the Ruth Institute to your campus, either on their own or against an opposition speaker in a debate.

Just like in the example at the beginning of this article, there are plenty of your fellow students that have never even heard a well articulated explanation from someone who wants the traditional definition of marriage to remain in place.

When hosting a speaker, it's always important to advertise the message. The message and controversy surrounding it will be the reason people fill up those seats. You want people who are for you, against you, and might not know how they feel about it to show up and be exposed to a message they would otherwise not have access to.

Speaker events and debates are also a great way to expand your membership, reach donors and community members, and highlight your group's efforts to the media.

• Stay vigilant against abuses from administration, faculty, student government, and opposition activists.

Emotions ride high on this subject, and in a left-leaning environment, it's not uncommon for intimidation to be used to discourage activism or even just the right to hold a certain belief.

Always document your activism with video recordings and maintain records of communications with officials, professors, and opposition groups who may be discouraging or making threats related to your activities, grades, or academic standing.

The Alliance Defense Fund and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education both handle matters related to religious liberty and freedom of speech and can evaluate any instance of abuse on your campus.

Visit the Ruth Institute online today to learn more about how they can help you create an effective campus group for defending the institution of marriage.

Have you taken action for marriage on your campus? What has your experience been? Respond in the comments section below.