I’d like to say a few words here about Stan Evans, the iconoclastic conservative writer who died on March 3. Others know him better and knew him longer and are writing much more (see his Facebook fan page) but I’d like to make one point here. Stan was a brilliant writer and I predict that his books will have an impact over the years that they haven’t received yet.
The two that stand out are The Theme Is Freedom, which provided a different slant on the reasons why America has more freedom than Britain (it has to do with the Puritans) and Blacklisted by History, a defense of Joseph McCarthy.
Nothing like that is being written in academia today! First, who on campus cares about freedom (except their own) or why or whether the United States is “different”? (Oh yes, of course there are a few—I do exaggerate.)
Second, who in academia would dare say anything positive about McCarthy? Not only could you never get tenure, you might get ejected or ostracized and certainly ridiculed. No one would take your courses! Only one side of the McCarthy story—and that one pumped up into a myth—has been told on campus. Stan offered the other side.
May he rest in peace and may his books be read.