University of Virginia Library

Don't Like It

Somehow, many students and
faculty members just don't feel like
celebrating the 150th anniversary
year of a racist institution. Mr.
Jefferson's spirit rebels against it.
That august revolutionary who
spoke quietly for equality somehow
means different things to different
people, and to most of us he does
not mean acquiescing in racist
policies. He means, rather, leading a
revolution if that is necessary in
order to insure American equality
for all men.

Warren G. Harding once said, in
perhaps the most dubious compliment
ever paid another man, that
"no man's life even gave me greater
inspiration than Hamilton's." It is
tragic that many amongst us who
can passively accept racism can also
say that no man's life ever gave
them greater inspiration than Mr.
Jefferson's. Founder's Day this year
ought to discourage this perverted
picture of that sage. He was an
egalitarian. It is time to stop
praising him: rather let us unearth
his principles.