LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Free speech is a fundamental U.Va. value

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Thank you to
@LarrySabato
and the
@UVA
professors who spoke up in support of freedom of speech.

The First Amendment and fostering the marketplace of ideas is the bedrock of a free society.

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Opinion

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Free speech is a fundamental U.Va. value

The Cavalier Daily should embrace First Amendment freedoms

By Concerned Faculty
April 5, 2022

As faculty members at the University, we are writing to object to The Cavalier Daily’s recent editorial arguing that former vice president Mike Pence is “not entitled to a platform” at the University.

We are not interested in either defending or attacking Pence and whatever he might say. We are more concerned that The Cavalier Daily believes that his speech constitutes “violence” that “threatens the well-being and safety of students on Grounds.” This speech-is-violence argument is not only wrong — no calls for violence will be issued April 12 — but also contradicts the letter and the spirit of the First Amendment, which generally creates space for a wide range of views to be expressed so long as the relevant speech does not incite violence. It is also a disservice to those who are the victims of actual physical violence — whether those injured and killed during the many civil rights struggles in American history, those who fought and died for our constitutional rights as members of our armed services or the brave people of Ukraine who are fighting and dying for their freedoms, including free speech.

Moreover, what saddens us about the mindset of The Cavalier Daily editorial is its assumption that the editors should enjoy the freedom to say what they want but others with whom they disagree should not. The First Amendment protects not just those whose views the editors deem harmless. Those of us who support free speech do so, in part, because, in a democratic society, none of us can see the whole truth and all of us benefit from being exposed to perspectives that may comprehend some aspect of the truth better than we do.

The University’s recent Statement on Free Expression and Free Inquiry put it best — “freedom of speech is among the most powerful tools by which wrongs are righted and institutions are improved or abolished. Principles of free inquiry extend to robust discussion and critical examination of the past. Equally importantly, they live in the present and extend to the future, in a shared commitment to free expression for all speakers and all views.” ... We stand in that commitment to free expression for all speakers and all views, inspired by the University’s founder, Mr. Jefferson, who wrote the following about our institution — “for here we are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate any error so long as reason is left free to combat it.” We invite the editors of The Cavalier Daily to renew their dedication to this fundamental University value.

Signed,

Monika Abramenko, Engineering

Peter Abramenko, Mathematics

Gerard Alexander, Politics

Colin Bird, Politics

James Ceaser, Politics

Lee Coppock, Economics

Kenneth Elzinga, Economics

Christian Gromoll, Mathematics

Jason Johnston, Law

Julia Mahoney, Law

Paul Mahoney, Law

John Owen, Politics

Larry Sabato, Politics

Allan Stam, Batten

Paul Wagner, Drama

June West, Darden

Brad Wilcox, Sociology