Category: Civil Rights, Individual Liberties
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Free Speech Lives at the University of Virginia!
by James A. Bacon Former Vice President Mike Pence came to the University of Virginia last night, attended two receptions, and delivered his speech, billed as “How to Save America from the Woke Left,” without a hitch. The Pence event created a national stir when the editorial board of The Cavalier Daily student newspaper said…
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A Continuation of the Gun Debate
by Dick Hall-Sizemore James Sherlock yesterday brought up a case in which a man in Virginia Beach had pleaded guilty to possessing a machine gun; in his case, it was a modified Glock. The maximum sentence for the offense is 10 years. There was a robust discussion, primarily on the Second Amendment in general and…
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UVa Has Issues, But At Least It Is Not Yale
by James A. Bacon On March 10 the Federalist Society, a group promoting conservative/libertarian principles in law schools, hosted a panel discussion at Yale Law about freedom of religion and speech. About 120 student protesters descended upon the event, shouted down the speakers, and then, after repeated warnings, continued their noisy demonstration in the hallway.…
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UVa, Defend Your Women!
Letter to the University of Virginia Board of Visitors from Walter Smith. Now that International Transgender Day of Visibility is behind us, it is safe to discuss your lack of visibility in the matter regarding UVa student Emma Weyant, who, in the world where reality and truth are valued, is the true women’s NCAA 500…
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Policies at War With Themselves
by James A. Bacon University of Virginia President Jim Ryan and Provost Ian Baucom have finally begun to engage in a discussion about university “cancel culture.” In the abstract, they’re against it. Their latest musings represent a step beyond the mere protection of free speech, which the Board of Visitors had endorsed previously, toward respectful…
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What Is Free Speech Without Intellectual Diversity?
by James A. Bacon Eleven days ago the Editorial Board of the Cavalier Daily, the University of Virginia student newspaper, opined that it could not condone the “platforming” of former Vice President Mike Pence by allowing him to speak on the university grounds. The blowback has been gratifying to see. While some students have expressed support…
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Even Loathsome People Have the Right to Free Speech
by James A. Bacon I’m very pro-Israel, which like every country on the planet is flawed but is more committed than most to democracy and human rights. Likewise, I have little sympathy for Palestinians, whom I regard as, for the most part, the authors of their own miseries. Therefore, I am inclined to take a…
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EVMS Settles Free-Speech Lawsuit for 38K
The Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) has reached a settlement with medical student Edward Si over a lawsuit filed after the school prohibited him from forming a Students for a National Health Program (SNaHP) club. The medical school will pay Si and SNaHP $38,000. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) represented Si. In…
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The Mental Anguish Veto
by James A. Bacon As the debate over de-platforming former Vice President Mike Pence plays out in the pages of the University of Virginia student newspaper, a recent column illuminates, albeit unwitting, the complex interplay between mental illness, sexual orientation, fragility, and intolerance toward views people find uncomfortable. Mental illness is rampant in American society…
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Norfolk Shoot-Out on Granby Street
by Kerry Dougherty In March of 2021, the Virginia Beach oceanfront was the scene of a shooting spree that left two people dead. Last weekend, Norfolk’s Granby Street experienced something similar. These shootings shock the senses, especially when innocent people are among the victims. At least one of the Granby Street victims was a bystander,…
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The Richmond Times Dispatch, “Hate Groups” and Journalism
by James C. Sherlock The Hanover County School Board (HCSB) is seeking legal assistance in reviewing its transgender policy from the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a conservative legal organization that provides its services pro bono. ADF’s key values that it goes to court to defend are religious freedom, free speech, marriage and family, parental rights,…
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Speech on Virginia Campuses Less Unfree than Elsewhere
by James A. Bacon Three of Virginia’s universities scored in the top 25 in the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) 2021 annual free speech rankings of more than 150 higher-ed institutions across America, but Virginia Tech, once in the top 10, fell precipitously to the bottom third. The College of William & Mary…
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School Threat Assessment Teams Revisited
by James C. Sherlock I wrote on February 12 of this year about what I consider an indicator of a potential overreach by the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). FCPS security has published an RFP for corporate support for web search to support its threat assessment team. Since that article, I have conducted extensive email…
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A Time for Conservatives to Speak Out
by James C. Sherlock Sometimes in life we come to a major fork in deciding who we are and who we are going to be going forward. Donald Trump was quoted in the New York Times as having on Tuesday “praised Mr. Putin’s aggression as “genius” and called the Russian leader “very savvy” for describing…
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No Exceptions to the Free Exercise Clause
by Deborah Hommer Many states, including Virginia, have a religious exemption to the requirement of vaccines based upon sincerely held religious beliefs. However, Virginia’s exemption has a big hole. The Code of Virginia (§ 32.1-48) states that during epidemics the state Commissioner of Health can mandate vaccinations for “all persons” except those whose health might…