Jefferson Council Report on Disruptions to the Shrier Event

Written By James Bacon

The Jefferson Council distributed the following statement and attached report to the University of Virginia Board of Visitors this morning.Dear Board of Visitors members,On Oct. 11, 2023, journalist Abigail Shrier engaged in a Q&A session at the University of Virginia discussing the transgender movement in the United States. Offended by her views, transgender militants and their allies sabotaged attendance of the event, abrogated an agreement with university authorities restricting where to hold their protest, crowded the entrance to the venue at Minor Hall, berated attendees entering the event, and harassed attendees leaving the event.In a communication to the Board in response to a letter from Jefferson Council President Tom Neale, the administration responded that some of the behavior was “disappointing,” but noted that there were “no arrests or injuries, and no property damage.” The administration found no grounds for follow-up action.We vigorously take issue with the administration’s spin. We believe that protesters should be held to a higher standard than not causing injury or property damage.In the attached report we offer three tangible recommendations for upholding the right of members of the UVa community to hear speakers free from disruption and intimidation.

  • Prohibit the practice of registration spam by members of the university community as a tactic for suppressing attendance at targeted events.
  • Set clear boundaries at designated protest areas to ensure separation from event attendees.
  • Issue No Trespass Orders for community members who engage in disruptive behavior on university grounds.

Respectfully submitted,Jim BaconJames A. BaconExecutive DirectorThe Jefferson Council

James Bacon

After a 25-year career in Virginia journalism, James A. Bacon founded Bacon’s Rebellion in 2002 a blog with the goal of “Reinventing Virginia for the 21st Century.” Its focus is on building more prosperous, livable and sustainable communities. In recent years he has concentrated more on the spread of “woke” ideology in K-12 schools, the criminal justice system, higher education, and medicine.

In 2021, he co-founded The Jefferson Council to preserve free speech, intellectual diversity, and the Jeffersonian legacy at his alma mater the University of Virginia. He previously served as the organization’s executive director, now serving as congributing editor.

Aside from blogging, Bacon writes books. His first was Boomergeddon: How Runaway Deficits Will Bankrupt the Country and Ruin Retirement for Aging Baby Boomers — And What You Can Do About It, followed by Maverick Miner: How E. Morgan Massey Became a Coal Industry Legend and a work of science fiction, Dust Mites: the Siege of Airlock Three.

A Virginian through-and-through, Bacon lives in Richmond with his wife Laura.

https://www.baconsrebellion.com/wp/
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