Eric Langborgh

    Accuracy in Academia kicked off its inaugural Conservative University conference this July in Washington, D.C. to a large, enthusiastic group of students. Nearly 200 people--including 65 full-time participants who made the trek from all over the nation--took part in AIA’s intensive, four-day gathering.

    “It is so important that students are exposed to these ideas that aren’t offered in the academy,” opined one conference-goer. “The Conservative University helps students to resist the liberal academy.”

    “The learning is unparalleled!” testified another. “I learned more this weekend--truthful learning that is--than I did in four years of political science classes.”

    “This conference was awesome!” another attendee pronounced. 

    Conservative University’s ambitious program proved to be what these students were looking for. The conference devoted a full day to debunking American history textbook myths,  featured a student seminar on personal experiences with political correctness on campus, and exposed students to a much neglected book in university curricula: Albert Jay Nock’s Our Enemy, the State. Students were required to read this classic prior to the conference, and were treated to a full program that dissected and discussed the viewpoints contained therein.

    The ideas and perspectives presented at Conservative University were wide ranging, and challenged preconceived notions and falacious history lessons. Topics included Kinsey and the Sexual Revolution, the Civil War, the loss of constitutional government, the Cold War, the modern feminist movement, and civil rights.

    The event was sponsored by the Fusco Foundation. The late Frank Fusco, the foundation’s benefactor, was a long-time friend of AIA. He recognized the need for a free and open marketplace of ideas on college and university campuses and contributed to many causes that atempted to further that ideal. In addition to AIA and Accuracy in Media, Mr. Fusco was a dedicated supporter of Marist College in New York.

    Highlighting the conference was the Frank Fusco Memorial Dinner. The dinner featured best-selling author Dinesh D’Souza, who discussed “Ronald Reagan: How an Ordinary Man Became an Extraordinary Leader.” D’Souza enlightened the crowd by discussing how the intellectuals misjudged Reagan, and how students can learn from his leadership. 

    D’Souza stressed that three qualities of Reagan’s would be needed by students to battle liberalism both on campus and in the nation: vision, willingness to take action, and faith in the American people.

    D’Souza told his dinner audience that Reagan acted on his own principles, and then went to the American people to explain in a common sense way why he did what he did.

    Intellectuals, particularly on America’s campuses, underestimated Reagan. Even now they continue to distort his record in the textbooks students are required to read. Nevertheless, Reagan’s legacy of defeating the Soviet empire, restoring pride in America, and righting the American economy will be vindicated and finally acknowledged by history, D’Souza concluded.

    Regarding the Sexual Revolution, Dr. Judith Reisman explained to students over lunch that, “there is not a person in this room whose life has not been affected by, and significantly changed and altered by, Dr. Alfred Kinsey.”

    Reisman explained that Kinsey and his sex studies continue to have a profoundly negative impact on society. “If this science was accurate, we would be seeing an increase in health and welfare in all areas of our lives. The proof would be in better sexual lives: fewer divorces; fewer venereal diseases; fewer sex problems.”

    Michelle Easton brought to Conservative University her story of success “without special preferences” to highlight the dangers of the modern feminist movement. “Most of the women I know are totally opposed to affirmative action for women, minorities, or any other category you can think of because it’s a form of discrimination and injustice itself that gives benefits to members of a chosen group because of the circumstance of their birth, instead of merit or achievement.”

    Victim ideology pervades campus life and society in general, Easton proclaimed. “In recent years, 600 women’s studies programs have been started, with more than 30,000 courses and the formation of some 50 major feminist institutes,” cited Easton. She noted that the content of these courses is seldom intellectual or scholarly, but instead is generally composed of diaries of “oppressed” women and pro-lesbian literature.

    One of the most popular speakers at Conservative University was Reginald Jones. Jones, who has roots in the rap entertainment industry, pointed to the dramatic growth of rap music in the past 25 years as evidence of the potential capitalism provides for black empowerment. Rap has succeeded in gaining prominence in American culture “without set asides or subsidies or any intervention by the state,” Jones explained to a packed room. Using this message, he has made great inroads in combating the anti-Americanism that prevails with many undergraduates, and making the case against quotas and set-asides in admissions programs.

    Congressman Bob Barr of Georgia was also well received at the conference, fitting in an appearance at the opening dinner between votes in the House of Representatives.

    Speaking on “Prospects for Conservatism in the Political Arena,” Barr decried the rise of the sound bite as a substitute for philosophical discourse. “So much of what passes in public life as public discourse about public policy in America is not done in complete sentences.”

    “The reason that the Founding Fathers [spoke in complete sentences] ... is because when forcing somebody to read about what you are saying, you force them to think about the ideas,” Barr elaborated.

    The legacy of our Founding Fathers and the consequences of ideas are regrettably not accurately taught in many of our nation’s institutions of higher learning. “I think that is why the program [Conservative University] that you are all attending…is so important. So take advantage of the opportunities in this program, and be very critical of what you see [at your campus].”

    Other faculty members of Conservative University included Reed Irvine, Joseph Sobran, Sam Francis, M. Stanton Evans, Charles Wiley, Paul Gottfried, Eric Langborgh, John Lott, and Dan Flynn. To read lecture transcripts or listen to a classroom address at the Conservative University, visit AIA’s web site at www.academia.org.