| From | Intercollegiate Review <[email protected]> |
| Subject | What's in a name? |
| Date | October 31, 2024 6:05 PM |
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The best of intellectual conservative thought.
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CATEGORY: CULTURE (25 MIN)
Replacing evil with good
[link removed]
The 2024 election has recently been dominated by insults. First, Vice President Kamala Harris accused former President Donald Trump of invoking Adolf Hitler. Then, a comedian at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally joked that Puerto Rico was an “island of garbage.” And most recently, current President Joe Biden shot back, referring to Trump’s supporters as “garbage.”
Some might connect the first of these comments with the logical fallacy reductio ad Hitlerum: that linking anything to Hitler immediately invalidates it. There’s a reason that fallacy so often works. In First Things, Alec Ryrie writes that we have been living in the “age of Hitler,” an age where our cultural morality takes the Nazi leader as its devil.
Of course, Ryrie notes, this is far from a baseless depiction. Hitler and the Nazis were horrific, and the Holocaust was an evil beyond belief. But Ryrie believes that it is not good for a culture to take Nazism as “our one absolute reference point” in a sea of relativism. Ryrie argues that doing so takes purpose away from religion—in particular, Christianity. Our moral compass, Ryrie says, “had pointed towards Jesus,” but “now pointed away from Hitler.”
Ryrie then notes modern developments that are unmooring the moral centrality of the evils of Nazi Germany. And although many of those developments are bad on their own, he thinks they provide an opportunity to recenter public morality around absolute good, not absolute evil.
Learn more by reading Ryrie’s article here.
Read Now
[link removed]
Weekly Poll
Has public discourse become too reliant on personal insults?
[A] Yes
[B] No
[C] Not sure
[link removed]
RESULTS: 10/24/2024
Do you consider yourself a regular attendee of religious services?
[A] Yes - 82.7%
[B] Sporadically attend - 8.6%
[C] Don't attend - 8.6%
[link removed]
CATEGORY: CRIME (18 MIN)
Streets and safety
[link removed]
New York City has had a few very difficult years. First, the coronavirus pandemic and government lockdowns crushed the city, leading to many COVID deaths, a collapse in tourism, and a huge number of businesses closing their doors. And just as the economy seemed to make some measure of a rebound, federal authorities indicted Mayor Eric Adams on charges of bribery and campaign finance offenses.
But Hannah E. Meyers, writing for City Journal, says the situation in the Big Apple might be even worse than it looks. Meyers argues that teen criminals and teen victims have been increasing in number, and she believes that the city’s refusal to collect data and punish young criminals is enabling that rise.
Meyers starts with statistics from the New York Police Department. She notes that nearly 5,000 youths were arrested in 2023 for the seven major crimes, and misdemeanor assault is also on the rise among young people. She connects these trends to recent state legislation that increased the “age of criminal responsibility” to 18 and sent the majority of 16- and 17-year-old offenders to family court—where judges can’t consider their criminal history.
Meyers then highlights a host of other issues she sees in the city’s justice system: understaffed detention facilities, the omnipresence of marijuana, and unrestricted social media use.
Read Meyers’s analysis right here.
Read Now
[link removed]
[link removed]
CATEGORY: VIDEO
The New Republican Statecraft with Elbridge Colby
[link removed]
Join us for an insightful discussion with Johnny Burtka and Elbridge Colby as they delve into the concept of "New Republican Statecraft." In this exclusive interview, they explore how contemporary challenges in global politics require a reevaluation of traditional Republican strategies.
Discover their perspectives on U.S. foreign policy, national security, and the importance of a principled approach in today’s ever-changing geopolitical landscape. From addressing the rise of China to rethinking alliances, Johnny and Elbridge provide a compelling vision for a new era of Republican thought.
Watch Now
[link removed]
Because our student editors and writers are bravely bringing conservative ideas to their campuses, we’re highlighting their efforts here.
Cornell Faces Another Class Action Antitrust Lawsuit
[link removed]
via The Cornell Review
“On October 7, Eileen Chang ‘21, as well as a Boston University student, filed a class action antitrust case against the College Board, along with 40 top tier universities for price fixing. They claim that in 2006 the College Board and many of its university members decided to consider the assets of non-custodial parents (NCP) when measuring the financial need of applicants whose parents are separated. As a result, the plaintiffs claim that their financial aid packages were artificially reduced compared with what they would have received if their non-custodial parent’s ability to pay was ignored.”
Starr Bypasses Judicial Council to Issue Full Suspensions to Oct. 7th Protesters
[link removed]
via The Claremont Independent
“On Wednesday, October 25, Pomona President Gabi Starr issued a statement regarding the suspensions of those involved in the October 7 takeover of Carnegie Hall. Of the 12 students placed on interim suspensions for violating the Claremont Colleges Demonstration Policy, ten have been fully suspended for the remainder of the academic year. They will be unable to return to classes or campus until the fall of 2025. Normally, their cases would have been heard by Pomona’s Judicial Council (commonly known as JBoard), a student panel guided by a “restorative practices” approach. However, the Pomona College Student Code allows for Starr to bypass the Judicial Council for events that “threaten safety of individuals on campus, involve the destruction of College property, and the disruption of Pomona’s educational process.” Citing this provision, Starr issued the suspensions without a Judicial Council hearing."
W&L Gets $132 Million Gift
[link removed]
via The W&L Spectator
“Washington and Lee will no longer consider families’ income and assets in their admissions process, thanks to a record $132 million gift from William “Bill” Miller III, ‘72. The donation was announced on October 24 at the school’s capital campaign kickoff. Bill Miller’s historic gift will secure Washington and Lee’s ability to attract and educate the strongest students,” said W&L President William Dudley. “We are incredibly grateful to Bill for his steadfast belief in the value of a liberal arts education and his visionary support of the university’s future. This gift will change the lives of W&L students for generations to come.” After a standing ovation from the attendees, Miller addressed the crowd. “The liberal arts education I received from Washington and Lee instilled in me values and habits of mind that have enriched my life and are the basis of much of my professional success,” he said.”
BYU Newspaper Blocks Comments, Justifies Use of Pro-Abortion Euphemism
[link removed]
via The Cougar Chronicle
“On October 17th, The Daily Universe, the official student publication of Brigham Young University, published an article entitled “Utah Women Rally for Reproductive Rights, Voter Action.” Written by Daegan Beus, the article detailed events that took place on October 12th at a rally on Utah’s Capitol Hill. The event, hosted by Green Wave Utah, sought to “empower women to vote and stand for their rights to reproductive care.” Immediately, backlash ensued against the newspaper’s use of the term “reproductive care,” a pro-abortion euphemism frequently employed to advocate for the killing of the unborn. The term, used many times in the article, downplays and disguises the actual intent of the women’s rally: to call for the “right” to abort babies. Hundreds of comments flooded the Daily Universe’s X and Instagram posts, calling for BYU to “do better.” Senator Mike Lee of Utah took to X, commenting, “Why do we have to put up with this at BYU?” In defense of the
article and in response to Mike Lee, KUTV released a piece criticizing Lee for asking the article to be taken down, juxtaposing Lee’s stance on free speech with his response, stating that “the article was a straightforward report on the rally and didn’t delve into differing points of view.” The piece also referenced the Church’s stance on abortion and birth control, noting that “despite church direction leaving family planning to families… there was a swift social media backlash from anti-abortion advocates… with Lee’s being one of the latest and more prominent voices in the group.”
The Downfall of Minneapolis
[link removed]
via The Minnesota Republic
“In hopes to protect their student’s safety, The University of Minnesota has implemented an emergency communication system designed to keep students informed during threatening situations. Recently, SAFE-U alerts have become a common occurrence on campus, with students receiving a couple notifications per week. Whether it is another shooting, assault, or robbery, students have become unfazed by the ding on their phone. When signed up, students and staff receive alerts via text, email, and phone call. However, students have recently shown concern about the effectiveness of this system, especially when incidents are reported hours later. For instance, last week, both a robbery and an assault occurred on campus, but students and staff were notified the following day. 5 years ago, a shooting or assault would have been a huge deal on campus. Today, these occurrences have become unbelievably common. The residents on and near campus are concerned about the
timeliness of information and its impact on student safety.”
CATEGORY: HISTORY (9 MIN)
Forgotten father
[link removed]
In the midst of legendary names like Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison, other important early American figures can slip between the cracks. That applies to even one of our first five presidents: James Monroe. Monroe may be remembered by some today for his Monroe Doctrine (which promised to stop European powers seeking to invade the Americas). But especially for a two-term president, his time in office doesn’t bring much to mind for most.
For this week’s article from the Modern Age website, Kevin R. C. Gutzman reviews a book on Monroe: The Founders’ Curse: James Monroe’s Struggle Against Political Parties by Brook Poston. Gutzman gives his thoughts on Poston’s writing and inserts his own takes on Monroe’s interaction with the early political party system.
Gutzman notes that Poston’s book starts with Monroe’s early interactions with Thomas Jefferson and proceeds through the vicious battles between Jefferson and the Federalists (especially Alexander Hamilton). In fact, the book recounts that Monroe and Hamilton’s relationship nearly deteriorated to the point of dueling.
As president, Gutzman writes, Monroe tried to emulate George Washington, the only president in American history to win the electoral vote by a larger percentage (100%) than Monroe in 1820 (>99%). Monroe hoped to unify the political parties in a way that hadn’t happened since Washington, and using an alliance with John Quincy Adams, he earned a landslide 1820 victory.
Read Gutzman’s analysis of Poston’s work here on the Modern Age website.
Read Now
[link removed]
Thought of the Day:
“We must always remember that America is a great nation today not because of what government did for people but because of what people did for themselves and for one another.”
- Richard Nixon
Join ISI’s new Alumni Giving Club
It’s never been easier for you to support our mission—and stay part of our community—with ISI’s new Alumni Giving Club!
For just $19.53 a month, you can join the fight and “pay it forward” by educating the next generation for ordered liberty.
Join the Club
[link removed]
Follow on Twitter Friend on Facebook Forward to Friend
Copyright © 2024, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
Intercollegiate Studies Institute
3901 Centerville Road
Wilmington, DE 19807
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View it in your browser
[link removed]
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CATEGORY: CULTURE (25 MIN)
Replacing evil with good
[link removed]
The 2024 election has recently been dominated by insults. First, Vice President Kamala Harris accused former President Donald Trump of invoking Adolf Hitler. Then, a comedian at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally joked that Puerto Rico was an “island of garbage.” And most recently, current President Joe Biden shot back, referring to Trump’s supporters as “garbage.”
Some might connect the first of these comments with the logical fallacy reductio ad Hitlerum: that linking anything to Hitler immediately invalidates it. There’s a reason that fallacy so often works. In First Things, Alec Ryrie writes that we have been living in the “age of Hitler,” an age where our cultural morality takes the Nazi leader as its devil.
Of course, Ryrie notes, this is far from a baseless depiction. Hitler and the Nazis were horrific, and the Holocaust was an evil beyond belief. But Ryrie believes that it is not good for a culture to take Nazism as “our one absolute reference point” in a sea of relativism. Ryrie argues that doing so takes purpose away from religion—in particular, Christianity. Our moral compass, Ryrie says, “had pointed towards Jesus,” but “now pointed away from Hitler.”
Ryrie then notes modern developments that are unmooring the moral centrality of the evils of Nazi Germany. And although many of those developments are bad on their own, he thinks they provide an opportunity to recenter public morality around absolute good, not absolute evil.
Learn more by reading Ryrie’s article here.
Read Now
[link removed]
Weekly Poll
Has public discourse become too reliant on personal insults?
[A] Yes
[B] No
[C] Not sure
[link removed]
RESULTS: 10/24/2024
Do you consider yourself a regular attendee of religious services?
[A] Yes - 82.7%
[B] Sporadically attend - 8.6%
[C] Don't attend - 8.6%
[link removed]
CATEGORY: CRIME (18 MIN)
Streets and safety
[link removed]
New York City has had a few very difficult years. First, the coronavirus pandemic and government lockdowns crushed the city, leading to many COVID deaths, a collapse in tourism, and a huge number of businesses closing their doors. And just as the economy seemed to make some measure of a rebound, federal authorities indicted Mayor Eric Adams on charges of bribery and campaign finance offenses.
But Hannah E. Meyers, writing for City Journal, says the situation in the Big Apple might be even worse than it looks. Meyers argues that teen criminals and teen victims have been increasing in number, and she believes that the city’s refusal to collect data and punish young criminals is enabling that rise.
Meyers starts with statistics from the New York Police Department. She notes that nearly 5,000 youths were arrested in 2023 for the seven major crimes, and misdemeanor assault is also on the rise among young people. She connects these trends to recent state legislation that increased the “age of criminal responsibility” to 18 and sent the majority of 16- and 17-year-old offenders to family court—where judges can’t consider their criminal history.
Meyers then highlights a host of other issues she sees in the city’s justice system: understaffed detention facilities, the omnipresence of marijuana, and unrestricted social media use.
Read Meyers’s analysis right here.
Read Now
[link removed]
[link removed]
CATEGORY: VIDEO
The New Republican Statecraft with Elbridge Colby
[link removed]
Join us for an insightful discussion with Johnny Burtka and Elbridge Colby as they delve into the concept of "New Republican Statecraft." In this exclusive interview, they explore how contemporary challenges in global politics require a reevaluation of traditional Republican strategies.
Discover their perspectives on U.S. foreign policy, national security, and the importance of a principled approach in today’s ever-changing geopolitical landscape. From addressing the rise of China to rethinking alliances, Johnny and Elbridge provide a compelling vision for a new era of Republican thought.
Watch Now
[link removed]
Because our student editors and writers are bravely bringing conservative ideas to their campuses, we’re highlighting their efforts here.
Cornell Faces Another Class Action Antitrust Lawsuit
[link removed]
via The Cornell Review
“On October 7, Eileen Chang ‘21, as well as a Boston University student, filed a class action antitrust case against the College Board, along with 40 top tier universities for price fixing. They claim that in 2006 the College Board and many of its university members decided to consider the assets of non-custodial parents (NCP) when measuring the financial need of applicants whose parents are separated. As a result, the plaintiffs claim that their financial aid packages were artificially reduced compared with what they would have received if their non-custodial parent’s ability to pay was ignored.”
Starr Bypasses Judicial Council to Issue Full Suspensions to Oct. 7th Protesters
[link removed]
via The Claremont Independent
“On Wednesday, October 25, Pomona President Gabi Starr issued a statement regarding the suspensions of those involved in the October 7 takeover of Carnegie Hall. Of the 12 students placed on interim suspensions for violating the Claremont Colleges Demonstration Policy, ten have been fully suspended for the remainder of the academic year. They will be unable to return to classes or campus until the fall of 2025. Normally, their cases would have been heard by Pomona’s Judicial Council (commonly known as JBoard), a student panel guided by a “restorative practices” approach. However, the Pomona College Student Code allows for Starr to bypass the Judicial Council for events that “threaten safety of individuals on campus, involve the destruction of College property, and the disruption of Pomona’s educational process.” Citing this provision, Starr issued the suspensions without a Judicial Council hearing."
W&L Gets $132 Million Gift
[link removed]
via The W&L Spectator
“Washington and Lee will no longer consider families’ income and assets in their admissions process, thanks to a record $132 million gift from William “Bill” Miller III, ‘72. The donation was announced on October 24 at the school’s capital campaign kickoff. Bill Miller’s historic gift will secure Washington and Lee’s ability to attract and educate the strongest students,” said W&L President William Dudley. “We are incredibly grateful to Bill for his steadfast belief in the value of a liberal arts education and his visionary support of the university’s future. This gift will change the lives of W&L students for generations to come.” After a standing ovation from the attendees, Miller addressed the crowd. “The liberal arts education I received from Washington and Lee instilled in me values and habits of mind that have enriched my life and are the basis of much of my professional success,” he said.”
BYU Newspaper Blocks Comments, Justifies Use of Pro-Abortion Euphemism
[link removed]
via The Cougar Chronicle
“On October 17th, The Daily Universe, the official student publication of Brigham Young University, published an article entitled “Utah Women Rally for Reproductive Rights, Voter Action.” Written by Daegan Beus, the article detailed events that took place on October 12th at a rally on Utah’s Capitol Hill. The event, hosted by Green Wave Utah, sought to “empower women to vote and stand for their rights to reproductive care.” Immediately, backlash ensued against the newspaper’s use of the term “reproductive care,” a pro-abortion euphemism frequently employed to advocate for the killing of the unborn. The term, used many times in the article, downplays and disguises the actual intent of the women’s rally: to call for the “right” to abort babies. Hundreds of comments flooded the Daily Universe’s X and Instagram posts, calling for BYU to “do better.” Senator Mike Lee of Utah took to X, commenting, “Why do we have to put up with this at BYU?” In defense of the
article and in response to Mike Lee, KUTV released a piece criticizing Lee for asking the article to be taken down, juxtaposing Lee’s stance on free speech with his response, stating that “the article was a straightforward report on the rally and didn’t delve into differing points of view.” The piece also referenced the Church’s stance on abortion and birth control, noting that “despite church direction leaving family planning to families… there was a swift social media backlash from anti-abortion advocates… with Lee’s being one of the latest and more prominent voices in the group.”
The Downfall of Minneapolis
[link removed]
via The Minnesota Republic
“In hopes to protect their student’s safety, The University of Minnesota has implemented an emergency communication system designed to keep students informed during threatening situations. Recently, SAFE-U alerts have become a common occurrence on campus, with students receiving a couple notifications per week. Whether it is another shooting, assault, or robbery, students have become unfazed by the ding on their phone. When signed up, students and staff receive alerts via text, email, and phone call. However, students have recently shown concern about the effectiveness of this system, especially when incidents are reported hours later. For instance, last week, both a robbery and an assault occurred on campus, but students and staff were notified the following day. 5 years ago, a shooting or assault would have been a huge deal on campus. Today, these occurrences have become unbelievably common. The residents on and near campus are concerned about the
timeliness of information and its impact on student safety.”
CATEGORY: HISTORY (9 MIN)
Forgotten father
[link removed]
In the midst of legendary names like Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison, other important early American figures can slip between the cracks. That applies to even one of our first five presidents: James Monroe. Monroe may be remembered by some today for his Monroe Doctrine (which promised to stop European powers seeking to invade the Americas). But especially for a two-term president, his time in office doesn’t bring much to mind for most.
For this week’s article from the Modern Age website, Kevin R. C. Gutzman reviews a book on Monroe: The Founders’ Curse: James Monroe’s Struggle Against Political Parties by Brook Poston. Gutzman gives his thoughts on Poston’s writing and inserts his own takes on Monroe’s interaction with the early political party system.
Gutzman notes that Poston’s book starts with Monroe’s early interactions with Thomas Jefferson and proceeds through the vicious battles between Jefferson and the Federalists (especially Alexander Hamilton). In fact, the book recounts that Monroe and Hamilton’s relationship nearly deteriorated to the point of dueling.
As president, Gutzman writes, Monroe tried to emulate George Washington, the only president in American history to win the electoral vote by a larger percentage (100%) than Monroe in 1820 (>99%). Monroe hoped to unify the political parties in a way that hadn’t happened since Washington, and using an alliance with John Quincy Adams, he earned a landslide 1820 victory.
Read Gutzman’s analysis of Poston’s work here on the Modern Age website.
Read Now
[link removed]
Thought of the Day:
“We must always remember that America is a great nation today not because of what government did for people but because of what people did for themselves and for one another.”
- Richard Nixon
Join ISI’s new Alumni Giving Club
It’s never been easier for you to support our mission—and stay part of our community—with ISI’s new Alumni Giving Club!
For just $19.53 a month, you can join the fight and “pay it forward” by educating the next generation for ordered liberty.
Join the Club
[link removed]
Follow on Twitter Friend on Facebook Forward to Friend
Copyright © 2024, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
Intercollegiate Studies Institute
3901 Centerville Road
Wilmington, DE 19807
unsubscribe from all emails
[link removed]
update subscription preferences
[link removed]
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