We have previously discussed how students and faculty are stripping away the names and quotations of Founding Fathers and presidents from schools because they were slave owners or due to proven prejudices or biases. I have been critical of the trend at schools like Princeton where the faculty and students have discussed the removal of the name and images of former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson from buildings and school programs under a deal signed with protesters who objected to Wilson’s support of segregation, which was legal at the time. The move adjacent Wilson who is credited as one of Princeton’s most important figures and past presidents was shocking to many academics. Now, the University of Virginia is experiencing the same debate with its founder, Thomas Jefferson. University President Teresa Sullivan is under fire for simply quoting Jefferson in an email to students and faculty on the presidential election. Faculty have written her a letter denouncing any use of any quotation by Jefferson due to his ownership of slaves.
In her email, Sullivan encouraged students to come together after the election and added
“Thomas Jefferson wrote to a friend that University of Virginia students ‘are not of ordinary significance only: they are exactly the persons who are to succeed to the government of our country, and to rule its future enmities, its friendships and fortunes’ . . . I encourage today’s U.Va. students to embrace that responsibility.”
Some professors in the Psychology Department and other departments were shocked by the quotation of Jefferson, even at the University of Virginia. Asst. Psychology Prof. Noelle Hurd drafted the letter that some 469 students and faculty signed. It stated in part:
“We would like for our administration to understand that although some members of this community may have come to this university because of Thomas Jefferson’s legacy, others of us came here in spite of it . . . For many of us, the inclusion of Jefferson quotations in these e-mails undermines the message of unity, equality and civility that you are attempting to convey.”
Among the signatories were Politics Prof. Nicholas Winter, Psychology Prof. Chad Dodson, Women, Gender and Sexuality Prof. Corinne Field, College Assistant Dean Shilpa Davé, and Politics Prof. Lynn Sanders.
Politics Professor Lawrie Balfour (right) explained that Jefferson is viewed by many as a consistent detriment to nurturing a supportive environment at Virginia: “I’ve been here 15 years. Again and again, I have found that at moments when the community needs reassurance and Jefferson appears, it undoes I think the really important work that administrators and others are trying to do.”
I respect the motivations of faculty like Professor Balfour but I have to disagree with their conclusions. I do not agree that barring quotations from the drafter of our Declaration of Independence and one of the most influential American thinkers advances an educational purpose. Historical figures are not perfect humans and slavery is rightfully viewed as a disgraceful part of the history of many of our founders. We can learn from those terrible institutions just as we can learn from their other contributions. Understanding history demands such perspective.
Jefferson is a particularly interesting case study on slavery. He was one of the most conflicting founders on the subject. Jefferson spent much of his life trying to rid the country of slavery (an advanced view for his time) but he also kept hundreds of individuals under the bondage of slavery. He inherited dozens of slaves and acquired more through his marriage to Martha Wayles. Yet, he was a critic of Britain for its role in the colonial slave trade and was key in banning the importation of slaves to his native Virginia. He sought to criminalize the slave trade and fought with other Southerners on the wording of the Declaration of Independence over the recognition of slaves as people entitled to equality. His relationship with Sally Hemings, a slave at Monticello, adds to this conflicted history.
From the perspective of his time, Jefferson was viewed as a progressive on the subject, if not a heretic, by his white contemporaries. In the end, however, scrubbing history of quotations and references to people like Jefferson is to ignore both his accomplishments and his failings. Professor Balfour insists that she is not saying that any quotations from Jefferson was inappropriate but that “the move that says, he owned slaves, but he was a great man, is deeply problematic, and I think it will continue to prevent us from being the kind of inclusive, respectful community that President Sullivan and the rest of us envision.” I would submit that he was a great man but a deeply flawed man. Education is recognizing and understanding such contradictions.
What do you think?
Put the damn faculty on probation. That is all.
http://linkis.com/thegatewaypundit.com/VxMLW
FAKE HATE: Jewish Students Painted Swastika and “Trump” on Campus Church
If we were never intended to learn from our history we would “edit” the constitution and not “amend” it.
These Universities make their own bed. They alone recruit, screen, interview, hire, and provide tenure to the faculty responsible for reaching such conclusions.
Honestly, when I read stuff like the article above it just boggles my feeble mind. There is not a single American alive today that isn’t at least 7 generations removed from having been a slave or a slave owner. While truly a horrible part of our history, it IS part of our history.
I just hope that when I reach the pearly gates there isn’t some progressive, tenured university professor there saying you can’t get in because in 1979 you watched 4 episodes of “The Dukes of Hazzard”.
The Founders who owned slaves will be condemned by the Progressives, and they have a point. But that won’t matter. The conflict within the country today is about how Americans want to live, and it is as stark as it has been in my lifetime. Jefferson may have denied freedom to his slaves, but he lived as a man who loved freedom, and his achievement inspires us. Those of us who know the experience of living in a country where we are free of government scrutiny and control, know that we will never give that up. That will include many Americans who might have been slaves had they lived in Jefferson’s time. It will include immigrants who come to this country to have that freedom. Let the Progressives erase his name, let them shame his memory. What matters is how we choose to live now. The People are just realizing how much they despise the efforts of our leaders to distort and misuse the law, especially the Supreme Court, to threaten us for daring to live as free citizens.
They really don’t have a point. Their party is the party of slavery, slave trading, Black and Jim Crow laws, Anti civil rights right up to present day with their support of the suspension of civil rights under the Patriot Act and forming a heavily left wing single party system with the RINO’s of the Republican party. Unless their point is establishing a Socialist Dictatorship. Then you would have a point about their point.
469 of 16,000 approx undergraduates and 20,000 plus graduate students. Professor to Student ratio of 15. So over a thousand of them. They have seven named plus others and less than 4% of the student body. So why is this important? Answer it’s not and it is less than the number that actually fought in The Revolution 1770’s.
Better if Turlow reposts his conversation with Cusack of four years ago. Much more meaningful and insightful and worthy of everyones time.
To echo a previous poster. Never judge the past without understanding the context of the times against what they did accomplish and never judge today out of the context of our times.
Given the the history of the left from slave days to present and their continual support of slavery, Jim Crow laws, anti civil rights including the recent replacement of probable cause with suspicion of I have to ask where were these Clooney Looney Professors and students when the Patriot Act provisions were passed and extended year after year.?
The Cusack Turlow post of four years ago should be re-posted every two years before elections.
Instead, the U’s President should quote Oprah, Whoophee Goldberg, Dave Chapelle, Jon Stewart, Bill Marr, Michael Moore, Rosie O’Donell, and other great Progressive luminaries of our time…
/sarc off
God forbid anyone quote someone disliked by others…
Dave Chappelle is a cut above the others. He’s actually funny and has integrity. Disappointed in Stewart.
Did he say Bill Maher???
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CxHSRJ9UcAA2ba0.jpg
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
squeek, you oughta tweet that to him.
Anonymous, maybe the degrees should be virtual, as they can’t be real.
I think it’s 469 very stupid people who live in a bubble and have no sense of reality.
Further proof that most college degrees today are not worth the paper they are printed on.
She is a Political Professor and she is an imbecile. She has the logic and judgement of a 12 year old.
Consider for a minute that this Leftist idiot has been ‘educating’ our young people for 15 years.
It is ignorant fascist-left ‘Professors’ such as her that are a large reason why college kids today are like oversized toddlers.
This would be tremendously funny if it were not for the fact that these Leftist idiots are acting as subversives that are quite literally destroying this country.
Another observation into the state of things.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2016/11/14/trump-liberal-college-campuses-michigan-yale-glenn-reynolds-column/93765568/
and for the record, it is my opinion that every idiot Professor who signed that should be fired.
Well, we certainly have an insight into your commitment to free speech.
Agreed, hence why we have mindless zombies protesting for cash and asking their college professor to not give exams due to election stress..
Iorenberg: there will come a time, if it is not here already, when JFK cannot be quoted in pilite company when you consider his personal failings as a necessary shadow over his accomplishments. Somehow, this bleachbitting of history and the great men and women of the past must stop. How to accomplish this is beyond my abilities. We few seem to be standing against a tsunami.
JFK would be a Tea Party republican today
Either you jest or you are completely clueless about the character and politics of JFK.
You can’t rewrite history. We have changed as a people and this is in our past but it is also our history. These brilliant men made what is now the America that WE live in possible. Why can’t people just get on with their lives, bask in the glory of modern America and look with some understanding at these men who were our founders. It was a DIFFERENT time, for crying out loud, and they would be as shocked by our reaction to them as we are disgusted by some of their actions. “Let those without sin cast the first stone”. We all have things in our lives of which we are not proud. These men were the creators of our country, they don’t deserve to be judged by today’s standards nor should they be.
Good historians judge history in its own timeframe. Poor historians try to impose new morals on old problems. However, many schools are not requiring history anymore. We can see the problem in this example.
If I remember correctly, Jefferson designed the campus for the University of Virginia. He really was a Renaissance man. They should be proud of him. If I were the President of the University of Virginia, I would be clearing out some trash.
Paul Schulte: Agreed 100%, and I’ll add S&H Green Stamps.
Hopefully, they’ll see their error.
Steve – who is still giving out S&H Green Stamps. I hated pasting them in books. I hope they are not making a comeback.
Yes, thank you. Is my Caucasianism now a permanent stain if certain ancestors (none that I’m aware of BTW) owned slaves? My views/words are forever tarnished? Wow. Guess I’ll stop posting.
More likely certain ancestors were slaves.
Historical figures should be viewed in the context of the times in which they lived.
Precisely. The context of the time was one of racism, bigotry, hatred of all regulations, sanctioned thievery, slaughter, illusions of freedom, illusions of empowerment, etc. The great men are remembered, not for these traits but for the connection between those of today and the dreams. America is a result of its dreams and aspirations, whether they be for equality, common sense, and progression or backsliding. American history illustrates one thing if it illustrates anything at all. Greatness comes through slow hard fought reality which moves the nation forward, to the awareness of those who can see. Occasionally, angry, impatient, and deluded the nation gets trumped from time to time. The greatness of America is in how it recovers from and moves on past these occasional trumpings. One must be ever vigilant and on guard for the trumpers and trumpets. But, by no means, should one despair but continue the good fight, where ever, when ever, and in the face of and during the trumping. Recognize the Bushes, McCarthys, and now Trumps and fight against them, the good fight, the American fight, the only fight worth fighting.
Americans have put up with eight years of right wing moaning. Now it is time for, hopefully, four years of this:
The Canadian Bicycle Boy has spoken. I say in the words of the guys on Bloomfield ave to you “I got your trumpet “
Issac, you couch your comment in terms of America’s “greatness.” Who gives a flying fook whether we’re great? This greatness theme is one of self-proclaimed and unfounded arrogance.
Now, carry the flock on.
Faculty? Where are the “ADULTS”? How is someone to learn about the past and present in order to make a better future if the (adults-using the term loosely) is too busy being offended than to teach? Are there things in US history that is offensive? Of course. Isn’t this how we are supposed to learn? I’m in fear for the education of my children!
This is why so many these days have such little regard for professors, colleges, and universities. They have a divisive socialist agenda and by damn the students will adher to it. I counsel young people to avoid at all costs these institutions. Look for those who will offer the unblemished truth without criticizism. What do you think these professors would have done if they lived in Jefferson’s time?
I echo Carol Martinez’s comment. Also, judging the actions of historical figures using today’s standards is in of itself a logical and practical fallacy. I find this particularly troublesome with someone like Thomas Jefferson, who in my mind was one of our greatest Presidents and certainly was one of our top thinkers. There is a quote from John Kennedy from a dinner for Noble Prize Winners that goes like this: “I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House – with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.” – John F. Kennedy
Very interesting and insightful post.
I worry that our nation’s schools & Universities are flooded with fascists at a time we need our children to question and dare each other to become independent thinkers.
How is that faculty members and students who simply express an opinion — though it be a misguided one — are fascists? Applying this word to these people is trivializing its real meaning. Everyone — both on the left and right – use the words nazi, fascist, etc. with such cavalier adandonment that the words and concepts are quickly approaching meaninglessness, not to mention the demonization intent behind their use. A person is not a fascist merely because you strongly disagree with the view or opinion they have expressed.
I think the discussion on this issue at the University of Virginia is appropriate. The University’s President “coming under fire” is fine so long as she’s not reprimanded for sharing in the discussion and, conversely, she imposes no restriction on it.
Jefferson’s slaveholding must be separated from his sociopolitical ideology to a large degree. (That goes for Andrew Jackson as well.) When I first learned he had held Sally Hemings (his deceased wife Martha’s half-sister) as a de facto common law wife, I first thought everything he stated must be viewed through the dark lens of hypocrisy and with a grain of salt. It took a good while, a long while, for me to cubbyhole that thought. Putting it aside occurred only after absorbing enough of Jefferson to understand just how intelligent, complex, and empathetic he really was.
I’m comforted that the students and some faculty are upset because it shows their instincts against inequity in a world where money buys desensitization to nearly any irrational unfairness. I also think the school’s President appropriately worded her comment in terms of responsibility, not speech codes. It is my hope that at some point these students and maybe even the complainant faculty will make a transition similar to my own.
Steve – no Jefferson is the father of Sally Hemmings first son. However, my money is on Randolph Jefferson as the father of the others. There is no way to prove which of the two it was. At best it is a coin flip. At worst, Thomas was gone when she got pregnant two of the times.