The Liberty Program was created to bring the concepts, ideals and philosophies of Western liberty to a large and important group of students and leaders. The premise for the program is that many, if not most students as well as leaders in our communities do not have an understanding of the principles of liberty.
The program has two distinct platforms, Liberty Weekend and Liberty Series. The Liberty Weekend was developed for high- achieving, student leaders. Students read selections on a particular subject, and a speaker presents a lecture on that subject, followed by a facilitated discussion. The Liberty Series will have five lectures/programs featuring internationally known speakers. For the 2015-16 year they include; Justice Antonin Scalia, Arthur Brooks, Greg Lukianoff, Walter Williams, Jeffery Rosen, Marci Hamilton and John McGinnis.
The purpose of the Liberty Program is to educate a large group of leaders from a diverse group of professions, as well as student leaders, about the philosophy of liberty. Many of these leaders have professed an ignorance regarding many of the fundamental ideas that will be presented in this program. The lack of education on these subjects for college students is equally dire.
Without an intellectual and abiding respect for the concept of individual liberty and its effect on human society, this and future generations will experience a nation and world that will be less free and prosperous. The speakers and activities envisioned by the Liberty Program will provide a stark contrast and significant counterbalance to the way in which these critical concepts are often presented and discussed. The more frequently the Liberty Program is conducted, the more its attendees will come to be a “force multiplier” for the project of re-awakening an appreciation for and insistence upon the proper understanding of the central concept of individual liberty in happy human existence and the civic health of our Republic.
