The 130-member Republican Club provides a forum for conservatives of different stripes to debate policy issues under a partisan umbrella and occasionally to produce reports on specific issues like Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC).

The club focuses primarily on fiscal issues, such as ROTC and the line-item veto, rather than social issues.

Even broader in its concerns is the Salient, a monthly journal, which embraces libertarians and "thinking liberals" in its ranks, says Jendi B. Reiter '93, a Salient editor.

Another conservative student group, the Conservative Club, serves a different function. Members discuss works of major conservative writers, says Sumner E. Anderson '92, the organization's president.

But Landry questions the credentials of those who claim to be conservative but differ with the traditional stances of Peninsula.

"If there are huge differences among conservative groups on campus, I would say that one or the other is conservative and one or the other isn't," says Landry.

He defines "conservatism" to encompass five basic tenets: strong national defense, respect for traditional values, respect for the free market, limited government and respect for personal freedoms, "within limits."

But all self-described conservative campus groups, from Salient to AALARM, fall under this definition. It is in the area of social reform that these groups differ. Perhaps the fundamental criterion which divides these groups is gay rights.

AALARM and Peninsula are vehemently against gay rights. They call homosexuality "abhorrent" and believe homosexuals should be barred from the military.

The Republican Club, however, recently came out denouncing the military's discrimination against homosexuals, although it maintains Harvard should maintain ties with ROTC.

Landry also attacked the Salient, saying it does not adequately tackle social issues and that it sends a very "nebulous message."

McDonald and Landry note that the Salient has deviated significantly from what are generally considered conservative position by publishing articles criticizing the pro-life movement and supporting gay rights and divestment from South Africa.

Yet despite these differences, the conservative student groups have overlapping membership--Anderson, for instance, is a former president of the Republican club and a supporter of Peninsula.

Conservative campus leaders say the reason they are so loud and active is because the campus is, to a great extent, tacitly liberal.

Conservatives at Harvard "suffer from an Alex P. Keaton image--uncaring, unfeeling, concerned for money only," says Michael.