Pence Goes to University Jefferson Founded to Argue Freedom Is the 'Antidote to Woke America'
Former Vice President Mike Pence visited the University of Virginia in Charlottesville on Tuesday to argue for the importance of free speech and against the woke cancel culture.
Pence was the featured speaker at an event hosted by the UVA student chapter of Young America’s Foundation.
He thanked the UVA president and members of the faculty for not bowing to those among the student body who wanted him dis-invited, including the editorial board of the school paper The Cavalier Daily.
“I heard there was a little bit of controversy preceding my visit,” the former Trump administration No. 2 said to laughter.
He went on to argue that “the antidote to cancel culture is freedom” and “the antidote to woke America is freedom.”
The antidote to cancel culture is Freedom. And the antidote to woke America is Freedom. pic.twitter.com/nwPSCHWjxo
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) April 13, 2022
Multiple times during his nearly 40-minute remarks he referred to the UVA students on hand as being part of the “freedom generation.”
Pence also cited Thomas Jefferson — founder of UVA and drafter of the Declaration of Independence — throughout his speech.
“As long as we may think as we will and speak as we think, the condition of man will proceed in improvement,” he said, quoting the nation’s third president.
When he founded UVA, Jefferson declared that “This institution will be based on the illimitable freedom of the human mind.” Freedom of speech is the God-given birthright of every American, and we will never let the Woke Left take it away. pic.twitter.com/QdMnoHoJ4d
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) April 13, 2022
Pence contended, “Freedom of speech is the God-given birthright of every American, and we can never let the woke left take it away.”
He also addressed how much the nation has changed since former President Donald Trump left office.
“Under the Biden administration, wokeism is running amok in our public schools and universities,” Pence said.
“Patriotic education has been replaced by political indoctrination. They abolished our 1776 Commission and authorized the teaching of what’s known as critical race theory in our public schools.”
Pence paraphrased former President Ronald Reagan’s observation that “freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.”
WHAT A NIGHT!
Thanks to @mike_pence for addressing a sold-out crowd at @YAFatUVA on how to defeat the woke Left! #YAFOnCampus pic.twitter.com/ejMhiYefpl
— YAF (@yaf) April 13, 2022
It has to be taught and advocated for, the former Indiana governor noted.
“Wrap your minds and your hearts around the founding documents of this country,” Pence exhorted the audience.
“The truth is the Hoos [a nickname for UVA students and alumni] have a special connection to the Declaration of Independence,” he said.
“That means you have a special connection to one of the greatest documents in human history. That’s your heritage. And it’s yours to cherish and protect and uphold.”
Pence argued the radical left routinely demean the nation’s founding and try to rewrite the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
“Just remember the core of the American experiment is a timeless belief that we don’t get our rights from sovereigns,” he said.
“We don’t even get our rights from charters or governments, but as Mr. Jefferson wrote, ‘We are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights.’”
A version of this article originally appeared on Patriot Project.
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