Benson Center Response to Open Letter of Nov. 17, 2020

An open letter signed by members of the CU community has been sent to the Benson Center addressing comments made on Twitter by John Eastman, the Visiting Scholar in Conservative Thought and Policy. The signatories assert that by tweeting about possible irregularities in the presidential election, Professor Eastman has “not merely expressed an opinion” but “given a stamp of legitimacy to falsehoods that reduce our national security,” “diverted attention away from [the] pandemic,” and “promoted a dereliction of constitutional duty.”  

It is unlikely that such a letter would be written to oppose a faculty member’s support for Democrats who, in recent years, have also raised questions about election fraud and manipulation. The letter is invidiously partisan because it applies a double standard and sets limits on acceptable political expression that its signatories do not themselves respect. And its claims about the effects of these tweets on national security and public health seem highly exaggerated. 

The Benson Center supports the free expression of opinion from its visitors and speakers. The opinions expressed by Prof. Eastman must be judged by the evidence, like all such claims. Their merit, whether with respect to truth or practical consequences, can only be assessed through free and open discussion.  

The University of Colorado is a robust enough institution to be able to tolerate the opinions of the few conservatives on campus without the need to peruse their twitter timelines looking for controversial statements. Now as ever, we all must tolerate the expression of opinions with which we strongly disagree.

Prof. Daniel Jacobson
Director, Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization