Thursday, April 21, 2011

National Survey on America’s Leadership Crisis, the Assault on Liberty & the Purpose of an Education


I received the following e-mail yesterday. At the conclusion of the e-mail, I was asked to e-mail it to five people I know. I don’t do that. However, I do post e-mails I support on my blog. I’m posting it today least I forget about it and fail to post it. Tomorrow, I plan a follow-up post and then hopefully will return to the budget series.

In a sense, this post also belongs with background material before dealing with the budget. We need members of Congress who know, understand, believe in, and support the Constitution of the United States as written. As a nation, we have gone far astray of the intent and purpose of the Constitution.

From: http://www.hillsdale.edu/
33 E. College Street
Hillsdale, Michigan 49242

“Dear Supporter of Liberty,

This is Sean Hannity writing to you today about Hillsdale College’s campaign to restore constitutional government in America.

I want to tell you about Hillsdale College—America’s premier college that teaches its students about the blessing of liberty and about our nation's founding principles.

I have been a huge fan of Hillsdale College for a long time. Hillsdale is educating a new generation of leaders for America—leaders who understand the principles of limited government that made the United States so prosperous.

I am writing to ask you to please take a few minutes to complete Hillsdale’s

https://www.hillsdaleforliberty.com/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=32&custom_1=HIP7NAHC&custom_2=e005p

National Survey on America’s Leadership Crisis, the Assault on Liberty & the Purpose of an Education.

I’ll explain more about the importance of this survey in a moment. But first, let me tell you why I support Hillsdale College so strongly and why I hope you will too.

Educating Millions of Americans on the Importance of Liberty

Unlike most other colleges in America, Hillsdale teaches its students:

1) Why the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States are the greatest charters of human liberty ever written, and are responsible for America quickly becoming the freest, most prosperous nation in human history;

2) Why capitalism is essential to American freedom and prosperity; and

3) Why faith in God, far from undermining liberty as many ACLU-style liberals claim, supports liberty. As Thomas Jefferson wrote:

‘[C]an the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God?’

These ideas are no longer taught at many American colleges. (Including Harvard which was founded to provide religious training—my addition.)

[Please Go Here to Donate and Complete Survey]

https://www.hillsdaleforliberty.com/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=32&custom_1=HIP7NAHC&custom_2=e005p

Hillsdale College has completed construction of a new building on Capitol Hill that houses the Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship. The mission of this Center is to revive an understanding and appreciation of liberty and limited government among the American people and among our elected leaders.

This 16,000 square-foot building, just a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol and the Supreme Court, serves as the headquarters for all of Hillsdale's efforts to . . .

1) Enable Hillsdale students to serve as interns in congressional offices and leading think tanks so they can gain valuable experience for future leadership;

2) Teach policy makers and opinion leaders about the genius of the Constitution and its importance to liberty; and

3) Provide educational seminars and programs on the Constitution and America’s founding principles to citizens all across the country.

Hillsdale urgently needs contributions right now to expand the reach and influence of its newly opened Kirby Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship—which serves as the headquarters for Hillsdale’s national educational campaign on the blessing of liberty and the importance of the Constitution.

[Please Go Here to Donate and Complete Survey]

https://www.hillsdaleforliberty.com/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=32&custom_1=HIP7NAHC&custom_2=e005p

Hillsdale Refuses All Federal and State Taxpayer Subsidies

Now, here’s something else I really love about Hillsdale College.

Unlike almost all other colleges and universities, Hillsdale refuses all federal and state taxpayer subsidies—even in the form of student grants or loans. The College does not want the government dictating who it must hire or who it must admit for enrollment (especially if they don’t meet Hillsdale’s tough academic standards) . . . or what is taught in its classrooms. (Something all private universities should do!—my addition)

This means that 100% of Hillsdale College’s funds must come from student tuition and contributions from Americans, like you and me, who care about liberty and the future of our nation.

Contributions from those who believe in liberty help keep tuition affordable for Hillsdale College students. Hillsdale does not want expense to be a barrier for any qualified student to attend. And by the way, Hillsdale’s tuition is less than half the tuition at the Ivy League schools, even though the College accepts no taxpayer subsidies.

Now let me tell you more about Hillsdale’s National Survey on America’s Leadership Crisis, the Assault on Liberty & the Purpose of an Education.

We want to demonstrate to these political, media, and educational leaders that most Americans want an education that includes American history, teaches the importance of the Constitution to liberty, and supports the moral principles most families teach at home—instead of undermining what most Americans believe.

My Request To You

1) As you can see, Hillsdale has major plans for expansion this year, including . . .

Building on the stunningly successful launch of Hillsdale’s no-cost online webcasts and programs on the genius of the Constitution, how it has been undermined, and how it can be rescued—where more than 50,000 Americans (including political leaders, government officials, journalists, and educators) signed up to participate. This year, we want to have hundreds of thousands (even millions!) of American citizens taking part in Hillsdale’s online seminar program on the importance of liberty this year.

2) Expand the reach and influence of Hillsdale’s new 16,000 square-foot building that houses the Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship in Washington, D.C.—that serves as a headquarters for students and for programs aimed at educating Americans (especially students) on the importance of the Constitution to our cherished liberty.

3) Continue to refuse all federal and state taxpayer money so that Hillsdale can continue to provide a strong independent voice in American higher education and maintain the world-class education Hillsdale provides its students—designed to educate a new generation of leaders for America who understand liberty and the principles of limited government.

But Hillsdale College cannot continue to expand its outreach programs without contributions from those who, like you, believe in limited government.

So I hope you will make a contribution to Hillsdale today as part of Hillsdale’s Annual Fund Drive for 2011.

[Please Go Here to Donate and Complete Survey]

https://www.hillsdaleforliberty.com/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=32&custom_1=HIP7NAHC&custom_2=e005p

I know that some of Hillsdale’s benefactors send gifts of $1,000 or even more, while other friends of Hillsdale are making an equal sacrifice by making gifts of $100, $50 or $25.

But if your contribution is $500 or more, you become eligible to have your name (or the name of a loved one you would like to recognize) engraved permanently in a brick on the Liberty Walkway of Honor on the Hillsdale Campus (where students will see the name every day).

Only you know what the right contribution amount is for you.

What’s most important is for you to give what you can . . . because I can’t think of a project more important than expanding Hillsdale’s efforts to defend liberty and to keep demonstrating that excellence in higher education is possible without dependence on the federal taxpayer.

Thank you for answering my message.

I look forward to hearing back from you in the next few minutes.

Sincerely,

Sean Hannity

https://www.hillsdaleforliberty.com/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=32&custom_1=HIP7NAHC&custom_2=e005p

Note: After you have taken the survey you will be asked for a contribution. However, there is an option to say “no, thank you.” Some response must be given in order to have your survey tallied.