The University of Virginia was the first stop for Douglas Murray, author of “The War on the West,” in a multi-campus speaking tour last month. He was accompanied by Marion Smith, president of the Common Sense Society, the lead organizer of the tour. (The Jefferson Council co-sponsored Murray’s appearance at UVa.)
It is illuminating to read the reactions of both Murray and Smith upon the completion of the tour.
Wrote Murray in the U.K. publication The Spectator:
I started my week at the University of Virginia. It is one of the many American universities which have serious problems because of their founding – probably the majority do. In this case the University of Virginia has a problem because it was founded by Thomas Jefferson.
Until recent years, being founded by Jefferson – whether in the case of the United States or a university – was a badge of honour. Today it is a mark of Cain.
Read the whole thing.
Writing in the North State Journal, Here’s how Smith contrasted UVa with the University of North Carolina:
To my surprise, shortly after Mr. Murray and I arrived in Chapel Hill, the chancellor and provost asked to meet with us. We and leading alumnus Doug Monroe had a frank discussion with them about the danger posed by woke ideology, which blatantly seeks to stifle any voice or view that doesn’t accord with a modern Marxist party line. We agreed that diversity of thought is essential to the success of higher education. So is the ability of students to assess arguments on their merits and not by pure emotion.
I found it refreshing to have two university leaders defend the very essence of higher education. …
Prior to visiting UNC Chapel Hill, Mr. Murray and I traveled to the University of Virginia, where the educational climate is still trending in the wrong direction. There is little-to-no institutional willingness to defend free speech or create an environment in which different views are tolerated, much less openly debated. UVA’s leaders have turned the campus of Thomas Jefferson — one of the most forward-thinking, curious, and enlightened leaders of his day — into a fortress of intellectual groupthink stagnation.
UNC-Chapel Hill and the University of North Carolina higher-ed system are providing a “roadmap” for restoring “true education and intellectual inquiry to their rightful place on campus,” Smith writes.
Compare and contrast with Virginia… Elements within UVa launched a smear campaign of rare viciousness against Bert Ellis, and confirmation of his appointment to the Board of Visitors was nearly blocked in the General Assembly. As for an invitation to chat with UVa’s president and provost — ha! — no such request was forthcoming. Ellis personally mailed copies of “War on the West” to President Jim Ryan, Rector Whitt Clement, and every member of the board. Not one attended the Murray speech.
— JAB
How fascism comes to America. Through the universities…
Thank you Jim for bringing the above to our notice. It is a truth we all needed to hear. Changes at Virginia need to be made. Hopefully with changes made by the Governor to the composition of the Board of Visitors the needed change will occur.God bless Bert Ellis leading the charge.
The only way to get the progressives out of control is to threaten UVa’s existence. Alumni contributions should go to zero until the administration gets the message.
I have felt this way for several years. Despite graduating from UVA law several decades ago, the only college that I support financially is Hillsdale College in Michigan. I did not obtain my undergraduate degree from Hillsdale nor have I ever been to the campus but I do know that the school does honor and teach the principles embodied in the Constitution.
I agree.
Jim Ryan pretends to be a good guy, but he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. No more donations👍🏻
Remember when we UVA types could say that at least we weren’t as crazy as Carolina?
This is incredibly damning and I repeat – we do not need 2 more years of Youngkin appointees – we need the current BOV who were appointed by Northam and do not have their heads firmly implanted up their rectums to act NOW. Free speech, intellectual inquiry is not “Republican.” It is American. It is part of Jefferson’s heritage, which the BOV has failed at. Quit failing.
I truly enjoyed Douglas Murray’s talk. Thank you so much for sending it to us. Tragically, it is sad to see how many in Charlottesville continue to disregard the reality of what is happening there. I am astounded by the alumni who continue to believe what is happening as simply a trend, while they gladly write out a check. It was 20 years in the making, and Jim Ryan is not the man to take a strong stand. It is also awful to know that Chapel Hill, which was going to give Nikole Hannah Jones tenure without even earning it, but was then held to account by its Board, is now waking up to the realization it will lose its entire reason for being if it does not stop the progressive, truly Fascist, belief system being promulgated at schools, while UVA continues to ignore the very same reality happening in Charlottesville.
Certainly agree with those calling for Ryan’s ouster but the current BOV would never act. Also, agree that we should all stop writing checks and in fact did so a few years ago. Maybe one more year of Youngkin appointees will be enough to flip the BOV. Keep up your good work and keep hounding the administration and the BOV.