If you’re a conservative Republican, especially on a college campus, you’ve heard all of the jokes. Persecution is nothing new.

How many conservatives does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Why did they cross the road? How does a Republican count to 10? They don’t — they only count to seven because Republicans cut everything by 30 percent.

But fear not fellow Republicans; jumping on the sturdy grand old elephant’s back is nothing to joke about.

At long last, it’s chic to be a conservative Republican.

Young conservatives wear pocket protectors and push Bibles to those who don’t have them. We hold the fictional Alex P. Keaton and the all too disturbingly real Charlton Heston and Tom Selleck as our heroes.

We back the National Rifle Association and the religious right. Liberals keep Hollywood and ex-hippies in their corner. Liberals’ hearts bleed — conservatives have bleeding gums. Liberals sport the latest fashions — conservatives don flannel, pocket protectors and suspenders.

So it’s easy to say why conservatives can’t stake a claim on the coolness factor. Conservatives don’t exactly drip suave unless you’re talking about the brand of cheap shampoo.

But surveys tell us all that has changed now.

Conservatives can come out of the closet and walk with a swagger. Conservatives hold a mojo all their own and no Dr. Evil or Florida voter can steal it.

People are compassionate about being conservative, and those people are the conservatives.

Surveys have shown more people in the country would classify themselves as conservatives. Finally those who are accused of oppressing minorities aren’t in a minority themselves.

Look around, the trend began some time ago and is sweeping our college community.

“It’s uncool to be liberal,” Jeffrey Ashley, an Eastern political science professor who teaches American politics, said. “I’ve seen it in Arizona, Michigan and here.”

So the word liberal works as an insult these days?

“There are closet liberals out there,” Ashley said. “But it really used to be the other way around. It’s only been about the past six or seven years.”

But Ashley said when asked ideological questions the liberal in most comes out. In other words, old bad habits die hard.

The reason for the conservative acceptance movement is unknown. Often major world events can change the political landscape of the country. These events cause a political realignment and can change the way Americans think.

Whether Sept. 11 was such an event remains to be seen. Ashley said he didn’t know the reason behind conservative chic and didn’t want to venture a guess.

But for my fellow conservatives, the answer is simple — we’re right — literally and politically.

So now everyone can laugh it up with fellow Reganites and compassionate conservatives without fear.

It’s the chic American way.