Lena Strauss
Guest speaker Danny Fingeroth delivers a talk on the thematically Jewish content in DC Comics. Both students and professors at Wofford were in attendance.
Judge James C. Ho of the United States Court of Appeals for the fifth circuit recently presented a talk titled “Cancel Culture and the Constitution” at Wofford. Followed by an introduction from J. Mark Hayes, this lecture was part of the annual Linton R. Dunson Constitution Day Lecture series. Held in Leonard Auditorium, Judge Ho discussed the concerns of America’s culture, recent national events, and how they tie into the modern phenomena of “cancel culture.”
Judge Ho began by providing background on the foundation of America’s most highly-regarded document, the U.S. Constitution. Rather than valuing what the document protects, he argued that too many Americans are actually devaluing it, and losing their willingness and freedom to hold peaceful discourse among individuals with differing political and cultural opinions.
“America is successful because we’re so different … we have not forgotten how to agree, but rather how to disagree,” Ho said.
Ho’s message of unity followed multiple illicit recent events, making the event’s timing quite apt for the nation. The lecture took place on Sept. 11, the 24-year commemoration of the attack on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon in New York City.
The same week as Ho’s lecture, reports were released of the murder of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee. The young woman was stabbed while riding the Charlotte light rail on Aug. 22.
On Sept. 10, Evergreen High School in Colorado encountered a mass shooting, leaving multiple students injured. The same day, right-wing conservative commentator and Turning Point USA founder, Charlie Kirk, was assassinated at Utah Valley University. Kirk was known for expressing his political and spiritual opinions and debating college students at their campuses. The week’s events gained massive media attention and left a deep heaviness around educational institutions nationwide.
“Free speech is not designed for easy speech. It is designed to challenge groupthink … My fear is that people have lost faith that free speech works,” Ho said.
“We’re becoming more divisive and more polarized, when we need to remind ourselves of what we have in common,” Dr. J. David Alvis, associate professor of government and international affairs, said.
“What we have in common is a constitution that makes it possible for us to disagree and take different positions, but still at the same time remain one people capable of endeavoring themselves. The speech was a particularly helpful reminder of not only what makes it possible for us to argue, but also what unifies us,” Alvis said.
In his speech, Ho highlighted the Constitution as a framework for political policies and civil discourse. He encouraged the audience to follow Kirk’s model to support this framework – that citizens should not only engage in discourse with those they disagree with, but genuinely look forward to it.
“Those who disagreed with the speaker should come to the front of the line,” Ho said, in reference to Kirk’s teachings.
“Our topic today meant a lot because we’re living in a tumultuous time and it’s important to talk about the Constitution in a way that should promote civil disagreement. It really spoke to me … It’s important to encourage disagreement in a healthy way,” Laurie Ann McGee ‘26, president of the Pre-Law Society, said.
Alvis kindly remembers and thanks Linton Dunson for inspiring this event. He is grateful for the fund that supports the Constitution Day lecture series. He extends his gratitude to Josh Whitley, a member of Wofford’s Board of Trustees, for his efforts in supporting the event.
“The most important thing about a liberal arts education is not just what it teaches you, but that it also teaches you humility by constantly forcing you to question yourself. If you really embrace a serious liberal arts education, it helps you deal with the differences we encounter in life thoughtfully and critically, rather than violently … We adopt our positions because we want our country to be better. That’s the common ground,” Alvis said.