Voices of Freedom – Détails, épisodes et analyse

At a time when constitutional rights face continuing pressures---from campus censorship to race-based government policies---one organization has spent the last 35 years winning legal battles that set lasting precedents for individual liberty.

The Center for Individual Rights was founded in 1989 to defend constitutional principles through strategic litigation. Its first major Supreme Court victory, Rosenberger v. University of Virginia in 1995, established that public universities cannot discriminate based on religious viewpoint---a principle that continues to influence cases to this day. CIR also secured landmark victories challenging race-based admissions policies in the University of Michigan cases.

Our guest on this episode of Voices of Freedom is Todd Gaziano, who became CIR's president in 2023. Before joining CIR, he led legal centers at both the Pacific Legal Foundation and the Heritage Foundation, served as a commissioner on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and worked in the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel and as chief counsel to a House subcommittee. He discusses CIR's strategic approach to defending equal protection, religious liberty, free speech, and competitive federalism---and explains why these constitutional battles matter for every American.

Topics Discussed on this Episode:

• Todd's path to the Center for Individual Rights and the most urgent threats to constitutional rights today
• The 30-year legacy of Rosenberger v. University of Virginia and its impact on campus free speech
• CIR's current cases challenging race-based policies in Portland schools and within federal programs
• Religious liberty and competitive federalism: why these areas matter
• Concerns and hopes for the future of constitutional rights in America

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra proves that art isn't just entertainment—it can be a key part of building community. Through concerts that bring diverse audiences together and revitalization efforts that have transformed its downtown home, the MSO stands as one of Milwaukee's most dynamic civic institutions.

Our guest on this episode of Voices of Freedom is Mark Niehaus, President and Executive Director of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Mark spent 14 years as the MSO's principal trumpet before the board tapped him in 2012 to lead the organization.

Under his leadership, the MSO completed an extraordinary restoration of the 1930s Warner Grand Theatre, expanding it into the Bradley Symphony Center. It opened in 2021, sparking renewal along West Wisconsin Avenue. As Wisconsin's largest performing arts institution, the MSO employs 70 full-time professional musicians who perform over 130 concerts annually and generate an estimated $55 million in economic activity.

Topics Discussed on this Episode:

• Mark's atypical career path from musician to organizational leader
• Why the Bradley Symphony Center restoration was critical for the orchestra's future
• The MSO's role in revitalizing downtown Milwaukee
• Growing institutionally at a time in which some orchestras are struggling
• Cultivating audiences for traditional art forms in a digital world
• The economic impact of arts organizations beyond cultural experience
• Hope for the future of orchestras and performing arts in America

An Interview with Laura Sumner-Coon, Executive Director of Racine Literacy Council (RLC)

It might seem counterintuitive for leaders of nonprofit organizations to try to work themselves out of their jobs. Yet our guest on this episode of Voices of Freedom believes that should in fact be their goal.

Laura Sumner-Coon, Executive Director of Racine Literacy Council (RLC), has spent her career starting and leading organizations that are driven to help individuals build better lives.

As she shares on this episode, non-profits should not be afraid to work themselves out of existence. It's an approach Sumner-Coon carries with her at RLC, an organization that supports the literacy needs of residents who seek to reach their full potential and become engaged citizens.

Topics Discussed on this Episode:

• Laura's experience working with non-profits and in education reform
• Why she started, and decided to shut down Racine SOAR, an organization that helped parents and schools navigate the area's first parental choice program
• RLC's importance to an industrial community like Racine
• The circumstances of those who use RLC's services, how it helps them achieve their goals, and how they become more engaged citizens
• The extent of RLC's reach beyond its brick-and-mortar building
• RLC's 60th anniversary and its future plans

Laura Sumner-Coon started out her career as a reporter and editor for various newspapers, including the former Milwaukee Journal and the Journal Times. She then held communication and development roles with the Racine Dominican Sisters and from there, began a career in education reform, including founding and leading a grassroots effort to establish the first parental choice program in Racine, Wisconsin. She has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in the teacher preparation program.

An Interview with Anthony McHenry, Chief Executive Officer, Milwaukee Academy of Science

When it comes to urban education, the news is almost always negative. Poor academic performance, abysmal graduation rates and unruly classrooms have become the norm. Students have suffered because of these failures, often falling through the cracks.

Yet there are schools in Milwaukee that defy the odds, showing that success is not only possible, but should be the expectation - even for schools that cater to students facing significant obstacles outside the classroom.  One of those schools is Milwaukee Academy of Science (MAS).

Our guest on this episode of Voices of Freedom is Anthony McHenry, CEO of MAS, a STEM-focused, K4-12 charter school whose mission is to graduate urban students prepared to compete at the post-secondary level. McHenry discusses what's behind MAS's success and how to offer more opportunities for students to get ahead.

Topics Discussed on this Episode:

• McHenry's story and how it drives him to be a leader
• Why society has failed kids, and the opportunities squandered because of it
• The circumstances causing students to be in volatile situations
• How MAS addresses the challenges its students face, particularly when it comes to transportation
• How MAS encourages students to imagine the possibilities for their lives
• How to get kids excited about and engaged in science
• MAS's efforts to keep high quality teachers and administrators
• What MAS's new addition will allow it to do and what will it mean for the families it serves
• What needs to be done so that there are more opportunities for kids to succeed

Anthony McHenry has been CEO of MAS since 2016. Under his leadership, MAS has increased enrollment, entered into new partnerships and improved academic outcomes.  MAS has also developed one of the area's top school athletic programs. Prior to joining MAS, McHenry served for nearly 20 years as executive director of the Silver Spring Neighborhood Center in Milwaukee's Westlawn neighborhood.

An Interview with Paul Clement, Appellate Lawyer and Distinguished Lecturer in Law

The US Constitution has long been revered by its citizens, yet also robustly challenged. Knowing that it would be tested, the founders created the judiciary to serve as an independent bulwark that would protect Americans' rights. 

Yet the judiciary's independence has often been called into question lately, in part due to the country's ideological divide. Further, until recently, some of its authority had been ceded to the executive branch, creating an explosion of government regulation and intrusion into citizens' daily lives. 

Few understand the state of the judiciary and the US Constitution better than Paul Clement, our guest on this episode of Voices of Freedom. Clement has argued more cases before the Supreme Court than anyone in recent history, giving him distinct insights into future of the Court and the most impactful rulings of our time. 

Topics Discussed on this Episode:

·         How Clement's midwestern roots have influenced his approach with the Court

·         The significance of the rule of law in America and how it's distinctive from other countries

·         The danger in straying from the US Constitution's intent

·         State of the US Supreme Court

·         Court packing  - its impact on the rule of law and the Court's make up

·         How the reversal of Chevron will impact government regulation

·         What universities should do to protect free speech and counter anti-Semitism

·         The legal profession distancing itself from controversial cases

·         How Americans can understand and uphold the rule of law

Paul Clement served as the 43rd Solicitor General of the United States between 2005 and 2008. Prior to that, he served as Acting Solicitor General and as Principal Deputy Solicitor General. He is a partner at Clement & Murphy and a Bradley Foundation director. Clement is a 2013 Bradley Prize recipient.

An Interview with Victor Davis Hanson

The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation The principles enshrined in the US Constitution have historically united us as Americans. We may have different customs, backgrounds or religious beliefs from our fellow citizens, but we share the values of freedom and the rule of law that are afforded to us as citizens. 

Increasingly however, people are gravitating towards tribalism and identity politics, undermining the foundational beliefs that have traditionally brought us together. That division is sowing seeds of discord and preventing us from solving the country's greatest challenges.

Can America course correct? Our guest on this episode of Voices of Freedom is scholar and author Victor Davis Hanson. He addresses that question and shares his thoughts on the events that will influence the US for decades to come. 

Topics Discussed on this Episode:

·         How Victor's experience growing up on a California fruit farm shaped his life

·         Victor's path from farmer to academic and why he chooses to remain on the farm

·         The danger of identity politics and the move away from a multiracial single culture

·         The end game for the clash of cultures

·         How the revolutionary events of the past few years will impact the US

·         Whether American society is in the midst of decline

·         What gives Victor hope for the future of US and Western civilization 

Victor Davis Hanson is the Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. He is the author of several books and hundreds of articles, book reviews, and newspaper editorials about classical military history and its many lessons.

Victor was awarded the National Humanities Medal in 2007 and a Bradley Prize in 2008.  He is also a member of the Bradley Foundation board of directors.

An Interview with Robert P. George

It's no secret that viewpoint diversity has long been scarce among faculty and staff at most universities. Yet events on college campuses since October 7, 2023 have exposed for many just how entrenched progressive ideologies have become within higher education, causing an awakening among alumni, families and students. The result could be an opportunity for real reform, allowing universities to return to or reaffirm their role of truth seeking.

Our guest on this episode of Voices of Freedom is esteemed scholar Robert P. George. He shares his thoughts on how to elevate free speech on campus and provides insights on the future of higher education.

Topics Discussed on this Episode:

• Robby's journey from West Virginia bluegrass bands to Princeton
• Whether universities have strayed too far from truth seeking
• The role of donors and alumni in changing campus culture
• The reining in of university DEI departments
• Is college still a wise investment?
• Overcoming the fear of speaking up
• Opportunities for reform in higher education

Robert P. George is the McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University and Director of Princeton's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions, which he founded in 2000. He holds numerous distinctions and awards, including the U.S. Presidential Citizens Medal and a 2005 Bradley Prize. He also serves on The Bradley Foundation's Board of Directors.

Interview with Roger Kimball

Words matter. The right words can advance new ideas, enrich our lives and alter the course of history. Yet in today's technologically driven world, language is often diluted as people think less about word choice and more about quick responses. This has also contributed to a decline in culture. Shorter attention spans and the lure of the screen have made people less inclined to appreciate or understand the works of the great artists, writers and thinkers. It has also contributed to an erosion of the values of the Western tradition and the principles of America's founding. 

Our guest on this episode of Voices of Freedom has dedicated his life's work to preserving culture and contributing to the world of ideas. Roger Kimball, publisher of Encounter Books, shares his thoughts on the power of words and provides an update on a new initiative dedicated to honoring and preserving the traditions of the West and of America. 

Topics Discussed on this Episode:

·         Kimball's path toward the publishing industry and Encounter Books

·         The intriguing history of Encounter Books

·         The power of words

·         The impact of technology on culture

·         The New Criterion's role in upholding the Western tradition

·         Encounter's Golden Thread Initiative

·         The future of high culture

An Interview with Peter Berkowitz

The US Constitution is one of the greatest governing documents in history. No other charter has so deliberately advanced the belief that the government's main purpose is to protect the individual rights of its citizens. The founders, recognizing the natural rights of mankind, created a seminal document that protects an individual's unalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  

Despite the exceptionalism of the Constitution and its battle-tested endurance, there are grave threats that could severely undermine and weaken it. 

As we continue our 20th anniversary celebration of Bradley Prize winners, our guest on this episode of Voices of Freedom is Peter Berkowitz, one of the country's leading political thinkers and Constitutional scholars. Berkowitz warns that a decades long movement to distort the meaning of rights, the weaponization of the legal system, and a general lack of understanding of our rights, pose serious challenges to the preservation of the Constitution.    

Topics Discussed on this Episode: 

·         What drew Berkowitz to the study of the Constitution and America's founding principles 

·         Current threats to the Constitution 

·         Politicization of the Supreme Court 

·         Expansion of the administrative state 

·         Differences on the right about the role of government and foreign policy 

·         America's role in the world 

·         Pro-Palestinian protests and anti-American sentiment 

·         Opportunity for higher education reform 

·         Will the Constitution endure? 

Peter Berkowitz is the Tad and Dianne Taube Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. He previously served as the Director of the State Department's Policy Planning Staff, executive secretary of the department's Commission on Unalienable Rights, and senior adviser to the Secretary of State. Berkowitz is a columnist for RealClear Politics and is a 2017 Bradley Prize winner. 

America's founders are revered for creating a structure of governance that values individual rights and promotes human flourishing. Nearly 250 years after they took the first steps toward creating a more perfect union by drafting and adopting the US Constitution, the nation continues to be a beacon of hope and opportunity around the world.

That the Framers could so eloquently articulate the principles of ordered liberty that guide us today results in part from their own careful examination of the great thinkers of the 17th and 18th century.  

Our guest on this episode of Voices of Freedom is Dr. William Barclay Allen. A 2024 Bradley Prize winner, he has dedicated his life's work to studying the Founders and the philosophers who influenced the Western tradition. He is also committed to instilling an understanding and appreciation of that tradition among the next generation. 

Allen is the Emeritus Dean of James Madison College and Professor of Political Science at Michigan State University. He is a former member and chairman of the US Commission on Civil Rights and has been a Kellogg National Fellow, Fulbright Fellow, and a member of the National Council on the Humanities.

Topics discussed on this episode: 

• How Allen's experience growing up in the segregated south influenced his life's path
• The story of his intellectual journey
• Why Allen translated Montesquieu's The Spirit of the Laws
• His decision to focus on America's founders and the US Constitution
• Why Allen believes Washington is the most important founder and America's first progressive
• Teaching history in a way that reflects the words and experiences of those who lived it
• Advice to young scholars who are just starting out
• What it means to Allen to win a Bradley Prize