| From | Intercollegiate Review <[email protected]> |
| Subject | A message in Munich |
| Date | February 20, 2025 7:05 PM |
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The best of intellectual conservative thought.
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Note from the Editor: The Intercollegiate Review will be moving to Substack later this Spring.
Substack offers a more convenient and accessible experience to you as the reader and will allow us to reach a wider audience.
We are grateful for your support of the Intercollegiate Review and are committed to keeping your subscription completely free as we move to Substack.
[link removed]
CATEGORY: INTERNATIONAL (7 MIN)
Worlds apart
[link removed]
On Valentine’s Day last week, Vice President JD Vance delivered an address to the Munich Security Conference that wasn’t full of platitudes and candy hearts. Vance urged the protection of democracy, pointing to repeated incidents across the European continent where governments have shut down or criminalized “hateful” speech. The speech was met with outrage from many European leaders, but some see it as a needed wakeup call.
For Unherd, Wolfgang Munchau, a German journalist, discusses Vance’s speech and other messaging from President Donald Trump. Munchau criticizes European governments for failing to have any response to the free-speech arguments Vance made. He says it’s largely because the EU doesn’t come from democracy but instead from a “blob” of “mainstream media, academia, and think tanks.”
Munchau believes that state censorship operations are a last-ditch attempt to block populist efforts from upsetting that existing order. He notes the one-sided nature of such censorship—the existing left and center do not plan to check themselves. He finds Vance’s criticism fair and pointed.
But Munchau does not expect a quick change in direction. He notes that the individual pieces of the European Union each have their own agendas (like countries normally do), and so in the face of a potential loss of US support, the Old World will not be able to operate independently.
Read more of Munchau’s thoughts here.
Read Now
[link removed]
Weekly Poll
Should the US be more or less involved in European affairs?
[A] More
[B] Less
[C] No change
[D] Unsure
[link removed]
RESULTS: 2/13/2025
Should state governments ban gender transition surgeries for minors?
[A] Yes - 96.5%
[B] No - 1.2%
[C] Unsure - 2.4%
[link removed]
CATEGORY: INTERNATIONAL (5 MIN)
Studying abroad
[link removed]
Many mainstream European sources blasted VP Vance for his Munich address. BBC called it “extraordinarily poorly judged” and “very weird.” Le Monde, a French newspaper, referred to the speech as a declaration of “ideological war” on Europe. And one EU official said that Vance was trying “to pick a fight” with allies.
Others disagree. Mick Hume, writing in The European Conservative, gave a rousing endorsement of the speech, calling it a necessary “devastating critique” of the European system. Hume sees the political divides in many European nations as a battle between entrenched elites and an increasingly outraged populace who needs to be heard.
Hume highlights several aspects of Vance’s address, including his point that the wisdom of each individual citizen and voter ought to be respected. Hume says that such wisdom has been put away and replaced by “unelected judges, commissioners, and experts.” In doing so, he believes that the many countries of Europe who have bought into the EU have also bought into policies that betray their own people.
Hume notes one particular quote from Vance: “If you’re running in fear of your own voters, there is nothing America can do for you, nor, for that matter, is there anything that you can do for the American people who elected me and elected President Trump. You need democratic mandates to accomplish anything of value.” Hume believes these “political grenades” must inspire real change.
What do you think? Read Hume’s article here.
Read Now
[link removed]
[link removed]
CATEGORY: VIDEO
The Legacy of President McKinley with Robert Merry
[link removed]
What can we learn from President William McKinley’s leadership, and how does his legacy compare to the modern political landscape? In this fascinating conversation, historian and journalist Robert W. Merry joins ISI to discuss his latest book, President McKinley: Architect of the American Century.
McKinley, often overshadowed by his more flamboyant successors, was a transformational figure who reshaped America’s global role and set the stage for the 20th century. Merry breaks down McKinley’s underrated statesmanship, his approach to economic and foreign policy, and his impact on American conservatism.
The discussion takes an intriguing turn as McKinley’s leadership is compared to Donald Trump—examining their similarities in political realignment, media battles, and their roles as champions of the "forgotten American."
Watch Now
[link removed]
Because our student editors and writers are bravely bringing conservative ideas to their campuses, we’re highlighting their efforts here.
A Community Betrayed: UVA’s Gender-Affirming Care Ban and the Fight for Justice
[link removed]
via The Jefferson Independent
“It was a quiet Friday afternoon in Charlottesville—until it wasn’t. Over 150 people gathered on January 31 outside the University of Virginia Medical Center, their voices rising in unison against a decision that left transgender youth without critical, life-saving medical care. Signs reading 'Trans Healthcare Saves Lives' and 'UVA: Kids Are Counting On You' painted the scene in defiance, frustration, and deep pain. UVA Health had just announced it would halt gender-affirming care for minors, complying with a directive from Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares. His letter, citing a Trump administration executive order, requested that UVA and Virginia Commonwealth University stop providing hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and gender-affirming surgeries for patients under 19. His reasoning? That such care constituted 'chemical and surgical mutilation' and that continuing it would put the institutions—and the state—at financial and legal risk.”
VMI Hosts Debate on Controversial Monuments
[link removed]
via The W&L Spectator
“The prompt, 'Resolved: Monuments that are perceived as symbols of oppression should be removed from public spaces,' was the topic for a Braver Angels debate held in Marshall Hall at Virginia Military Institute on February 4th, 2025. The event functioned like a parliamentary debate, with affirmative speeches and negative speeches pertaining to the topic, and the opportunity to ask questions to the speakers. Attendees ranged in backgrounds, including students, professors, and other members of the Rockbridge County community. The first speaker argued the affirmative, contending that such monuments should be removed. He referenced Richmond writer John Mitchell, Jr., who stated in the 1890s that Confederate monuments glorified the Lost Cause narrative and left a 'legacy of treason and blood.'”
Cornel West and Robert George Debate on Capitalism vs. Socialism
[link removed]
via The Dartmouth Review
"On January 16, self-professed Cornel West and Robert George faced off in a climatic 'debate' about the seemingly hotly contested discourse between capitalism versus socialism… a debate with endless room for nuance and a fertile soil for a strawman festival. Indeed, what occurred was not a debate at all, but rather two academics talking past one another (as they often do) while intermittently pausing to remind the audience how much they respect one another. In the first 10 minutes of the debate, I realized that what I was watching wasn’t going to be a debate at all. Why? Good question. For starters, the two speakers immediately stated their arguments, but failed to argue against each other: Robert George, in his opening statement, discussed the 'command economy.' In the next few minutes, Cornel West maintained that he wasn’t arguing for any sort of command economy, but instead spoke in terms of the vague utopia that Marxists always speak about, but can never
seem to make reality. Therefore, when the speakers were talking about economics—and it was not often—they were making two arguments that failed to address the sides of the other. Such is why I hesitate to call this a 'debate.' Instead of arguing against West about whether any form of socialism can manifest itself into anything other than a command economy, George stuck to his notecards. In fact, I cannot recall one specific instance in which either speaker directly argued against something that the other said."
After a Year of Chaos, Columbae Must Go Away
[link removed]
via The Stanford Review
"Last May, one of Stanford’s most notorious left-wing co-ops, Columbae, teetered on the edge of extinction. After only four students signed up to live in the house during the 2024-2025 academic year, the university nearly stripped Columbae of its house. However, Stanford’s administration relented, and Columbae managed to recruit enough individuals to fill their ranks. This year’s unrest at Columbae is a sign that this was the wrong decision. Alongside other co-ops such as Kairos, ideological conformity to left-wing ideals of 'liberation' are mandatory to live in Columbae. Since Stanford allowed the house to stay open this year, it has predictably devolved into dysfunctional governance, as theft, open-air drug use, and blatant antisemitism are endemic within it."
A Recap of Week 5 of the Texas Legislative Session
[link removed]
via The Texas Horn
“On Thursday, Speaker Burrows released the highly anticipated House committee assignments. All committee chairs are Republicans, and all vice chairs are Democrats. On top of that, half of all sub-committees are chaired by Democrats, and Joe Moody, a Democrat, was named as the Speaker pro tempore, which has caused disdain among the conservative wing of the GOP. On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice convened for the first time in Session. They voted unanimously to pass a package of bills to reform Texas’ bail system. SJR 1 denies bail for illegal immigrants, SJR 5 expands bail denial criteria to exclude those accused of serious crimes, and SB 9 requires judges to explain bond decisions and tightens eligibility for repeat offenders.“
CATEGORY: HISTORY (9 MIN)
Age of Abe
[link removed]
In almost any list of the top presidents in American history, Abraham Lincoln occupies a top-5 (and probably top-3) spot. If not for an assassin’s bullet, his influence on our nation might be even stronger today. Few contest Lincoln’s moral leadership during the Civil War. But what exactly he contributed to the American order has been the subject of long debate.
For this week’s article from the Modern Age website, the late Herman Belz discussed the legacy of Lincoln in an entry reprinted from American Conservatism: An Encyclopedia. Belz repudiated those who criticized Lincoln for irreversibly changing the American political tradition. Instead, Belz argued that Lincoln “acted with conscious and deliberate intent as a constitutionalist, rather than as a revolutionist.”
Belz connected the argument over Lincoln to the place of order and stability in freedom. The very moral components of freedom, which are necessary to liberty, Belz said, are embodied in Lincoln’s response to a rebellion centered around an immoral practice. Belz praised Lincoln for rejecting relativist and compromising stances that would otherwise have potentially kept the states separated.
“In the view of Richard Weaver, the statesmanship of Abraham Lincoln was distinguished by recognition that a politically effective American conservatism must be based on principles grounded in a fixed concept of the nature of man,” Belz wrote.
Read Belz’s work here on the Modern Age website.
Read Now
[link removed]
Thought of the Day:
“The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.”
- Abraham Lincoln
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 © 2025, 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]
Email not displaying correctly?
View it in your browser
[link removed]
.
Note from the Editor: The Intercollegiate Review will be moving to Substack later this Spring.
Substack offers a more convenient and accessible experience to you as the reader and will allow us to reach a wider audience.
We are grateful for your support of the Intercollegiate Review and are committed to keeping your subscription completely free as we move to Substack.
[link removed]
CATEGORY: INTERNATIONAL (7 MIN)
Worlds apart
[link removed]
On Valentine’s Day last week, Vice President JD Vance delivered an address to the Munich Security Conference that wasn’t full of platitudes and candy hearts. Vance urged the protection of democracy, pointing to repeated incidents across the European continent where governments have shut down or criminalized “hateful” speech. The speech was met with outrage from many European leaders, but some see it as a needed wakeup call.
For Unherd, Wolfgang Munchau, a German journalist, discusses Vance’s speech and other messaging from President Donald Trump. Munchau criticizes European governments for failing to have any response to the free-speech arguments Vance made. He says it’s largely because the EU doesn’t come from democracy but instead from a “blob” of “mainstream media, academia, and think tanks.”
Munchau believes that state censorship operations are a last-ditch attempt to block populist efforts from upsetting that existing order. He notes the one-sided nature of such censorship—the existing left and center do not plan to check themselves. He finds Vance’s criticism fair and pointed.
But Munchau does not expect a quick change in direction. He notes that the individual pieces of the European Union each have their own agendas (like countries normally do), and so in the face of a potential loss of US support, the Old World will not be able to operate independently.
Read more of Munchau’s thoughts here.
Read Now
[link removed]
Weekly Poll
Should the US be more or less involved in European affairs?
[A] More
[B] Less
[C] No change
[D] Unsure
[link removed]
RESULTS: 2/13/2025
Should state governments ban gender transition surgeries for minors?
[A] Yes - 96.5%
[B] No - 1.2%
[C] Unsure - 2.4%
[link removed]
CATEGORY: INTERNATIONAL (5 MIN)
Studying abroad
[link removed]
Many mainstream European sources blasted VP Vance for his Munich address. BBC called it “extraordinarily poorly judged” and “very weird.” Le Monde, a French newspaper, referred to the speech as a declaration of “ideological war” on Europe. And one EU official said that Vance was trying “to pick a fight” with allies.
Others disagree. Mick Hume, writing in The European Conservative, gave a rousing endorsement of the speech, calling it a necessary “devastating critique” of the European system. Hume sees the political divides in many European nations as a battle between entrenched elites and an increasingly outraged populace who needs to be heard.
Hume highlights several aspects of Vance’s address, including his point that the wisdom of each individual citizen and voter ought to be respected. Hume says that such wisdom has been put away and replaced by “unelected judges, commissioners, and experts.” In doing so, he believes that the many countries of Europe who have bought into the EU have also bought into policies that betray their own people.
Hume notes one particular quote from Vance: “If you’re running in fear of your own voters, there is nothing America can do for you, nor, for that matter, is there anything that you can do for the American people who elected me and elected President Trump. You need democratic mandates to accomplish anything of value.” Hume believes these “political grenades” must inspire real change.
What do you think? Read Hume’s article here.
Read Now
[link removed]
[link removed]
CATEGORY: VIDEO
The Legacy of President McKinley with Robert Merry
[link removed]
What can we learn from President William McKinley’s leadership, and how does his legacy compare to the modern political landscape? In this fascinating conversation, historian and journalist Robert W. Merry joins ISI to discuss his latest book, President McKinley: Architect of the American Century.
McKinley, often overshadowed by his more flamboyant successors, was a transformational figure who reshaped America’s global role and set the stage for the 20th century. Merry breaks down McKinley’s underrated statesmanship, his approach to economic and foreign policy, and his impact on American conservatism.
The discussion takes an intriguing turn as McKinley’s leadership is compared to Donald Trump—examining their similarities in political realignment, media battles, and their roles as champions of the "forgotten American."
Watch Now
[link removed]
Because our student editors and writers are bravely bringing conservative ideas to their campuses, we’re highlighting their efforts here.
A Community Betrayed: UVA’s Gender-Affirming Care Ban and the Fight for Justice
[link removed]
via The Jefferson Independent
“It was a quiet Friday afternoon in Charlottesville—until it wasn’t. Over 150 people gathered on January 31 outside the University of Virginia Medical Center, their voices rising in unison against a decision that left transgender youth without critical, life-saving medical care. Signs reading 'Trans Healthcare Saves Lives' and 'UVA: Kids Are Counting On You' painted the scene in defiance, frustration, and deep pain. UVA Health had just announced it would halt gender-affirming care for minors, complying with a directive from Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares. His letter, citing a Trump administration executive order, requested that UVA and Virginia Commonwealth University stop providing hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and gender-affirming surgeries for patients under 19. His reasoning? That such care constituted 'chemical and surgical mutilation' and that continuing it would put the institutions—and the state—at financial and legal risk.”
VMI Hosts Debate on Controversial Monuments
[link removed]
via The W&L Spectator
“The prompt, 'Resolved: Monuments that are perceived as symbols of oppression should be removed from public spaces,' was the topic for a Braver Angels debate held in Marshall Hall at Virginia Military Institute on February 4th, 2025. The event functioned like a parliamentary debate, with affirmative speeches and negative speeches pertaining to the topic, and the opportunity to ask questions to the speakers. Attendees ranged in backgrounds, including students, professors, and other members of the Rockbridge County community. The first speaker argued the affirmative, contending that such monuments should be removed. He referenced Richmond writer John Mitchell, Jr., who stated in the 1890s that Confederate monuments glorified the Lost Cause narrative and left a 'legacy of treason and blood.'”
Cornel West and Robert George Debate on Capitalism vs. Socialism
[link removed]
via The Dartmouth Review
"On January 16, self-professed Cornel West and Robert George faced off in a climatic 'debate' about the seemingly hotly contested discourse between capitalism versus socialism… a debate with endless room for nuance and a fertile soil for a strawman festival. Indeed, what occurred was not a debate at all, but rather two academics talking past one another (as they often do) while intermittently pausing to remind the audience how much they respect one another. In the first 10 minutes of the debate, I realized that what I was watching wasn’t going to be a debate at all. Why? Good question. For starters, the two speakers immediately stated their arguments, but failed to argue against each other: Robert George, in his opening statement, discussed the 'command economy.' In the next few minutes, Cornel West maintained that he wasn’t arguing for any sort of command economy, but instead spoke in terms of the vague utopia that Marxists always speak about, but can never
seem to make reality. Therefore, when the speakers were talking about economics—and it was not often—they were making two arguments that failed to address the sides of the other. Such is why I hesitate to call this a 'debate.' Instead of arguing against West about whether any form of socialism can manifest itself into anything other than a command economy, George stuck to his notecards. In fact, I cannot recall one specific instance in which either speaker directly argued against something that the other said."
After a Year of Chaos, Columbae Must Go Away
[link removed]
via The Stanford Review
"Last May, one of Stanford’s most notorious left-wing co-ops, Columbae, teetered on the edge of extinction. After only four students signed up to live in the house during the 2024-2025 academic year, the university nearly stripped Columbae of its house. However, Stanford’s administration relented, and Columbae managed to recruit enough individuals to fill their ranks. This year’s unrest at Columbae is a sign that this was the wrong decision. Alongside other co-ops such as Kairos, ideological conformity to left-wing ideals of 'liberation' are mandatory to live in Columbae. Since Stanford allowed the house to stay open this year, it has predictably devolved into dysfunctional governance, as theft, open-air drug use, and blatant antisemitism are endemic within it."
A Recap of Week 5 of the Texas Legislative Session
[link removed]
via The Texas Horn
“On Thursday, Speaker Burrows released the highly anticipated House committee assignments. All committee chairs are Republicans, and all vice chairs are Democrats. On top of that, half of all sub-committees are chaired by Democrats, and Joe Moody, a Democrat, was named as the Speaker pro tempore, which has caused disdain among the conservative wing of the GOP. On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice convened for the first time in Session. They voted unanimously to pass a package of bills to reform Texas’ bail system. SJR 1 denies bail for illegal immigrants, SJR 5 expands bail denial criteria to exclude those accused of serious crimes, and SB 9 requires judges to explain bond decisions and tightens eligibility for repeat offenders.“
CATEGORY: HISTORY (9 MIN)
Age of Abe
[link removed]
In almost any list of the top presidents in American history, Abraham Lincoln occupies a top-5 (and probably top-3) spot. If not for an assassin’s bullet, his influence on our nation might be even stronger today. Few contest Lincoln’s moral leadership during the Civil War. But what exactly he contributed to the American order has been the subject of long debate.
For this week’s article from the Modern Age website, the late Herman Belz discussed the legacy of Lincoln in an entry reprinted from American Conservatism: An Encyclopedia. Belz repudiated those who criticized Lincoln for irreversibly changing the American political tradition. Instead, Belz argued that Lincoln “acted with conscious and deliberate intent as a constitutionalist, rather than as a revolutionist.”
Belz connected the argument over Lincoln to the place of order and stability in freedom. The very moral components of freedom, which are necessary to liberty, Belz said, are embodied in Lincoln’s response to a rebellion centered around an immoral practice. Belz praised Lincoln for rejecting relativist and compromising stances that would otherwise have potentially kept the states separated.
“In the view of Richard Weaver, the statesmanship of Abraham Lincoln was distinguished by recognition that a politically effective American conservatism must be based on principles grounded in a fixed concept of the nature of man,” Belz wrote.
Read Belz’s work here on the Modern Age website.
Read Now
[link removed]
Thought of the Day:
“The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.”
- Abraham Lincoln
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 © 2025, 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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