Jefferson Council Holds Conference Regarding the Importance of Free Speech

Voices are buzzing in Old Cabell Hall as the brightest minds in Virginia are preparing for passionate speeches. After the shooting of Charlie Kirk on the morning of September 10th, the Jefferson Council organized what they labeled  “a gathering of free speech and civil discourse.” Featuring such names as Congressman John McGuire, Professor Larry Sabato, and many others, the gathering drew quite the crowd.

Attorney General Jason Miyares began the discussion, stressing the importance of unity in such a divisive and uncertain time. He started with a quote from UVA’s founder, Thomas Jefferson: “I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, religion, or philosophy as cause for withdrawing from a friend.” He reflected on his personal story of his family fleeing from Cuba, and the arrest of his uncle due to his vocal resistance against Fidel Castro. Miyares spoke on the importance of a “marketplace of ideas” in a free society to avoid a country of violence and tyranny. He ended the speech noting, “Civility is not weakness. Engage in debate. Turn away from…using violence to silence those we disagree with.”

Following Miyares was the representative of Virginia’s fifth congressional district: Representative John McGuire. McGuire, like Miyares, reflected on his origins, sharing that he was abandoned at only five years old. He likens his success story to others in saying, “Isn’t it great, we live in a country where a man or a woman can work hard and achieve just about anything?” After sharing his history, McGuire argues his point: “You cannot control other people, but you can control yourself.” McGuire spoke on the importance of independence and bipartisanship, having co-patroned acts such as the “Quantum Encryption Readiness and Resilience Act,” the “Farm Credit Adjustment Act,” and more. He continued the message of unity by stating, “If someone saved your life on the battlefield, you wouldn’t care if they were male or female; pink or blue; democrat, republican, or independent; we’re all in this together.”

After Representative McGuire, the student leaders at UVA got the chance to speak. Starting with the Student Veterans of America of America, student speaker Edgar noted the importance of the freedom to speak for the liberties our veterans fight and die for every day. He hopes that people can learn from each other through dialogue and find common ground. He ended his speech, remarking, “Through clarity we find truth.”

Succeeding the Student Veterans of America was Henry Brown of the Civil Discourse Initiative. He began with the history of the group, founded after another tragic display of gun violence—the 2022 shooting of three UVA football players: Lavel Davis Jr., D’Sean Perry, and Devin Chandler. Needing a space to process the event and come back stronger, students formed the Civil Discourse Initiative. From his experience with this group, Brown found that most college students are more open to hearing new opinions than they typically believe, and may even agree on more than they thought possible. “Students want to have these conversations,” Brown states, “and not be bogged down with the assumptions and preconceptions that often plague our seemingly polarized politics.” Brown rounded off his speech by reviewing the importance of dialogue and the groundbreaking impact of peaceful debate.

After Brown, the President of Turning Point USA’s Virginia Chapter spoke. She warned, “Political assassination of this kind is unacceptable no matter what side of the aisle you stand on, and it signals something quite disparaging for a country that claims to love free speech, the Constitution, and its democracy.” She pivots, however, from the horrific nature of his death to the “tremendous legacy of his life.” She notes the spark of free speech advocacy stemming from the killing, and the Turning Point founder’s lifelong impact on free speech across college campuses: “I truly believe the Lord sent Charlie Kirk into college campuses to shine his light, but also to encourage discourse that is rare in college campuses.” She ends the speech with a message inspired by Kirk: “Don’t be afraid to speak your mind, whether you be conservative or liberal, but remember to do it in a peaceful and respectful way.”

After Turning Point was the final student organization: the Young American Foundation. Emily, the Director of Outreach, talked about Kirk’s impact on her and how she admired his message. “While society tells us to identify ourselves and other people by skin color, ethnic background, gender, or sexuality,” she observed, “Charlie Kirk looked past these things with the people he was debating, and saw them as children of God. He treated them with kindness and uplifted them.” She talks further about the impact Kirk had on society and the children of this generation, praising him for his dedication to freedom of speech. She ends her thoughts with a lesson she drew from him: “Speak truth, love your enemies, and keep your eyes on the Lord.”

UVA professors took the stage to close out the event. The first to speak, Professor Larry Sabato,  focused on the brutal nature of Kirk’s murder, noting, “Political violence is a cancer on any civilized society. It silences debate, it replaces persuasion with fear, and it betrays the very idea of America.” Continuing the theme of the event, Sabato preached, “Let us stand for conversation over chaos, ideas over intimidation, and debate over destruction. If we do that, we will not only honor those who have fallen…in support of these values, but we will also honor the legacy of our university…and the promise of our country.”

The final speaker was Professor Ken Elzinga. Elzinga, like Sabato, condemned the nature of the act. “The first gut punch was that his death happened on a campus…a college campus is supposed to be a place that I think of as a marketplace of ideas.” He continued, “The second gut punch was a concern that Mr. Kirk’s death was going to encourage further violence, either by those who disagree, or those who agree.” Elzinga, like the speakers before him, emphasized the importance of courage, peace, and devotion to a free exchange of ideas. He finished his speech with a moral: “Any and all of [these disagreements] are not only welcome, it’s okay, so long as reason is let free to be part of the disagreement.”

The event was a beautiful homage and important reminder of the crucial values that hold this country together. So, what now? With such a divisive political sphere, how do we return to a united state? Representative McGuire shared his answers to these important questions: “Conversation,” he replied. “I go up to everyone and shake their hand, regardless of their party, and I try to have a dialogue with them…we’re all human beings and we’re all Americans.” This event was an important reminder of our country’s values, and how — as many of the speakers vocalized — we must remain courageous, non-violent, and remember that we are all Americans.