Washington Post Takes Dim View of Jefferson Council. The Sentiment is Reciprocated.

Apr 22

It's nice to see that The Washington Post finally has acknowledged the presence of The Jefferson Council as a player in the University of Virginia community. Friends and members might take umbrage at how author Peter Galuszka portrays us, but as the old saying goes, the only worse thing than bad publicity is no publicity.The article, which is pegged on the free speech controversy surrounding former Vice President Mike Pence's recent speech, describes the Council as "a small group of right-wing alumni" and insinuates that it is comprised of misogynists, xenophobes and racists. Writes Galuszka: "Once a bastion of preppy White men, [UVa] long ago admitted women and has expanded to more foreign students and non-Whites. That apparently seems threatening to the Old Guard, which is critical of the university's attempts to extend its diversity outreach."Alluding to the 2017 Unite the Right rally of "hard-right fascists," the article segues to the observation that "this most recent reactionary iteration seems to begin with [Bert] Ellis." Galuszka describes Council President Ellis as a "wealthy television mogul based in Atlanta." Yup. Just one step removed from advocacy of fascism and White supremacy! (Next time you get a chance, ask Ellis about the most recent entrepreneur he bankrolled.)This is what we're dealing with, folks!At least the article quoted Ellis accurately.I open the floor to comments from readers of this blog to detail the article's most grievous transgressions. Have at it, folks!

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/

Washington Post Takes Dim View of Jefferson Council. The Sentiment is Reciprocated.

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