It’s true as our Peter once said, in one of the most engaging essays on the man out there, that “On the most fundamental questions, Jefferson ought not to be our only guide.” Yes, but we all have to grapple with his legacy.
This Thursday, dribbling a bit into Friday, the Center for American Studies at Christopher Newport University is hosting one of the best events ever for helping you to do that. If you’re in the Virginia area and have part of the day free, you really ought to come. The highlight will be an address by Peter Onuf titled “Jefferson and Washington: Nation-Making and the Problem of Slavery” in the late afternoon, but there are many great panels, featuring fine scholars such as Jeremy Bailey, Charles Hobson, Daniel Dreisbach, and John Ragosta. Go here for the schedule , and feel free to use my CNU email to contact me if you’re planning on dropping in for a session or two. (For old UVA/HSC/WLU friends, I’ll add that Michelle and I do have a guest room we’d be happy to host you in . . . )
In addition to the unlikely marvel that is CNU, Newport News also has a big shipyard and a Mariner’s Museum, and while there are several Plaza Aztecas to keep the Tyler Cowen minions happy, I can steer you to some excellent crab cakes.
You have a decision to make: double or nothing.
For this week only, a generous supporter has offered to fully match all new and increased donations to First Things up to $60,000.
In other words, your gift of $50 unlocks $100 for First Things, your gift of $100 unlocks $200, and so on, up to a total of $120,000. But if you don’t give, nothing.
So what will it be, dear reader: double, or nothing?
Make your year-end gift go twice as far for First Things by giving now.
