I have the honor today of receiving the James Madison award at the Utah Valley University. I am deeply appreciative of recognition from the university and the faculty of the Center for Constitutional Studies.
The Center for Constitutional Studies has become an intellectual leader in constitutional research and studies. Applying a multi-disciplinary approach, it brings together a wide array of academic from all over the world to discuss the intersections of political thought, public policy, religion, law, history, and economics. I have enjoyed watching the extraordinary growth of both UVU and the CCS over the years. There is a vibrance and energy in this school that is contagious. It is still a young academic institution with an insatiable appetite for intellectual exploration and discussion. While many schools are limiting free speech and imposing speech codes, UVU is an open and robust academic forum of different ideas and values.
I must also note that, as a Madisonian school, the name of this award is particularly satisfying. While my students and my family will groan at the addition of another Madisonian link in my career, there is no greater founder to celebrate as the embodiment of intellectual values and inquiry.
At the lunch today, I will be delivering a lecture entitled “The Coming Storm: How Free Speech Can Be Lost In the United States.”