Dear John, 

One of my favorite quotes comes from the great thinker Russell Kirk:

“Conservatives sense that modern people are dwarfs on the shoulders of giants, able to see farther than their ancestors only because of the great stature of those who have preceded us.”

That’s not the kind of thing you hear much anymore. Everyone is too busy attacking the generations that came before us.

But we owe our ancestors a great debt . . .

. . . which is why ISI hosts our annual Gala for Western Civilization.

I hope you’ll join us Thursday, September 16, at the historic Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Together with other ISI friends and supporters, we’ll recognize the leaders, thinkers, and students who are fighting to preserve the Western tradition today.

And if you’re an ISI alum under 30, registration is only $50!

At the Gala, you’ll hear from:

• Larry P. Arnn, president of Hillsdale College, who will give the keynote address
   
• Diana Davis Spencer, executive chairman of the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation, who will receive ISI’s Charles H. Hoeflich Lifetime Achievement Award
   
• Glenn C. Loury, Merton P. Stoltz Professor of the Social Sciences at Brown University, who will receive ISI’s Faculty Award