Undergrads schooled in 'eliminating ignorance'

Iowa State University is poised to hold its 16th annual "Social Justice Summit," the day-and-a-half long workshop designed to eliminate prejudice, discrimination and hate from the hearts of attending undergraduates.

"{It's} an event designed for undergraduate students aimed at providing them with the opportunity to increase their awareness surrounding issues of inclusion and to develop action plans that will assist them in being agents of change on campus," the university says on its website.

The school's website goes on: "Social justice is the continuous process of eliminating ignorance and prejudice through education and advocacy to bring about greater equity among all members of society and ensuring every dimension of identity is not oppressed by society as a whole. Social justice is a process in which we strive to eliminate the roots of oppression through education and the redistribution of resources, opportunities and responsibilities."

Students at the school are also given the chance to take a 12-credit course, the "Education for Social Justice Graduate Certificate" program, that hones in further on social justice issues, Campus Reform reported. Among the required classes for the certificate: "Antiracist Curriculum Development and Implementation" and "Social Justice and Social Change in Education."

And among the goals for the summit, as put on ISU's website: "To allow participants to learn more about 'who they are' and 'what they bring'" to the college, and to train the students to bring their social justice ideas into action.

Thank you! Especially, note:

"If we make equality of property necessary in a society, we must employ force, against both the industrious and the indolent. On the one hand, the industrious must be restrained, from every exertion, which may exceed the power, or inclination of common capacities; on the other hand, the indolent must be forcibly stimulated to common exertions. This would be acting the fable of Procrustes, who, by stretching, or lopping to his iron bedstead, would reduce every man to his own standard length.
If this method should be deemed ineligible, the only alternative will be, either by open violence, or the secret fraud of the law, to turn a certain portion of the well-earned acquisitions of the vigilant and industrious, to the use of the indolent and neglectful.
Let us not, in a Republic, attempt the extreme of equality: It verges on the extreme of tyranny. Guarantee to every man, the full enjoyment of his natural rights. Banish all exclusive privileges; all perpetuities of riches and honors. Leave free the acquisition and disposal of property to supply the occasions of the owner, and to answer all claims of right, both of the society, and of individuals. To give a stimulus to industry, to provide solace and assistance, in the last helpless stages of life, and a reward for the attentions of humanity, confirm to the owner the power of directing, who shall succeed to his right of property after his death; but let it be without any limitation, or restraint upon the future use, or disposal. Divert not the consequences of actions, as to the individual actors, from their proper course. Let no preference be given to any one in government, but what his conduct can secure, from the sentiments of his fellow citizens. Of property, left to the disposal of the law, let a descent from parents to children, in equal portions, be held a sacred principle of the constitution. Secure but these, and every thing will flow in the channel intended by nature. The operation of the equal laws of nature, tend to exclude, or correct every dangerous excess.
Thus industry will be excited; arts will flourish, and virtuous conduct meet its just reward, the esteem and confidence of mankind. Am I deceived? or are these the true principles of equality in a democratic republic? Principles, which will secure its prosperity, and, if any thing in this stage of existence can be durable, its perpetual duration."- Nathaniel Chipman

One final note Chipman's essay--does anyone find it ironic that, given events of the past 8-10 years, the University of Chicago Press is the Publisher of "The Founders Constitution"--the wonderful Volume which contains Chipman's essay on "Equality in a Republic"?

Further, in the course of his work, might one not think that a Univ. of Chicago lecturer on the Constitution might have read and embraced such sound reasoning on the subject of "equality" and its relationship to liberty and/or tyranny?

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