American Majority Trained College Students are Fighting for Free Speech
It seems everyday we see news of free speech being restricted on college campuses across the country. So what exactly are conservatives doing to fight back? At the University of Chicago, Matthew Foldi is taking the lead to stand up for free speech and he’s helping other students across the country.
Matthew’s leadership can be seen across the clubs he heads on campus and through being the Ward Committeeman of Chicago’s Fifth Ward. Matthew considers himself and his classmates lucky to be at a university that fosters debate and intellectual diversity, saying, “Our administration is known throughout the country for its staunch commitment to free speech, which is a breathe of fresh air compared to many schools around the country.” This past April he was able to host a conference on his campus on the topic of free expression, which brought together students from 14 universities. They also created a petition in support of free expression. The petition, in part, stands on the belief that, “We, the undersigned, stand united in our shared conviction that free expression is critical to our society, in spite of our differing backgrounds, perspectives, and ideologies.”
At the University of Chicago, Matthew and his conservative peers have been able to make strides on campus. This year he has worked with the administration to help other schools adopt their own version of the “Chicago Principles.” His campus groups have worked to talk with students of opposing ideologies instead of “at” them including having an “Ask Me Anything” for students to have real discussions about conservatism. Matthew has helped to get speakers of all ideologies to speak on campus and to groups of which he is apart. These speakers include a Black Lives Matter leader and a former Chief of Staff to Vice President Biden.
