The following submissions are in response to Matt Walsh’s campus visit on September 18, 2023. The first two letters come from current students. The third opinion is from an alumnus. All three submissions have remained anonymous. The Spectator invites readers to submit Letters between 200-400 words about any article published by The Spectator. For more information, contact editor@wluspectator.com

Letter 1 (submitted by current student)

I consider myself a conservative, and I’ve supported Republican candidates as long as I’ve been able to vote. But if Matt Walsh ran for office, I can confidently say that he would not get my vote. I hope that after his visit to campus, every W&L student feels the same.

Let’s be serious, Walsh will never run for office. He likes being on the sidelines, antagonizing real political leaders and feeding on a sensational political dissonance.

Yes, Walsh brings up valid concerns about the transgender movement. We should be looking into the high levels of suicide within that community and asking what the motivating factors are. We should feel comfortable questioning the concept of subjective truth, where anybody can call themselves anything without being challenged. 

But what exactly does Walsh hope to achieve from his polemic speech? Does he think he will convince moderates to follow his rational logic? Does he really care about helping individuals suffering from gender dysphoria? Does he really want to protect young children from indoctrination?

If he did care, he would propose reasonable solutions and try to find a common ground. But all Walsh cares about are the views and the money. That’s why his talk in Lee Chapel was a replica of his talk at every other university. He reads a script which his staff has approved and he drones on and on about the “suicide cult” for attention. He wants there to be a dramatic show of protest because those foolish enough to challenge him by disruptive protest merely validate his point.

At the end of the day, I am glad Walsh came to speak to us. I was already critical of him before last month. But only in coming to our beloved campus and speaking such hateful things did his true colors really show.

Letter 2 (submitted by current student)

Many W&L students have asked why conservatives won’t just call transgender individuals what they want to be called. Forget gender affirming care, women’s sports, and all of that. Why not just give them this simple kindness? 

Well, as Walsh briefly touched on during his speech, the reason lies in a deep philosophical difference not between left and right, but between good and evil.

Adam and Eve’s first sin was not that they took the fruit, but rather that they chose their own judgment regarding the fruit over God’s. Instead of conforming to the natural order, they rebelled.

Sadly, so much of our contemporary culture is a part of this great rebellion of mankind.

The rebellion rears its ugly head when a family is torn apart by the selfishness of the parents in divorce. It roars with glee when a man watches pornography. It salivates at the very thought of the phrase, “be whoever you want to be,” not “who you were made to be.”

Even modern art and architecture are manifestations of rebellion, for man refuses to be governed even by the natural principles of beauty and goodness, and so he cultivates for himself ugly things.

Therefore, because “from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female” (Mark 10:6 KJV), we can say that transgenderism is — at its core — a rebellion against God the creator. It is the sick product of a sick culture.  

So, to all the social conservatives out there who are dismayed at contemporary culture, don’t do what Walsh did last month. Don’t spew logic and “truth” to people who don’t believe in Truth. Don’t demonstrate a way of thinking to people who don’t believe in the Way. And above all, don’t tell people how to live when they don’t believe in the Life.

There is only one way to change the culture: “Every knee should bow…and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”(Phil. 2:10-11 KJV).

Letter 3 (submitted by alumnus)

I graduated from W&L at a time when nobody questioned their own gender. I also graduated from W&L at a time when most alumni opposed the presence of two genders at the university. W&L definitely made the right choice then, and I often wonder if those men who opposed coeducation in the ‘80s ever regretted their stance.

The same can be said about the transgender movement. I am one of the old guard alumni who thinks the inclusion of transgender students on campus is silly and misplaced. I can’t see a world where it makes sense to call men women and women men, at least not seriously. But I am also part of a generation whose views starkly contrast the modern progressive student body.

Whatever your generation of students decide, I hope it is in good faith with one another. Before women came to W&L, students, faculty, and alumni were discussing the topic rigorously. There was room for discourse. I can’t say there was ever a “Matt Walsh” of co-education — at least not that I know of — but if there was, there would have been no harm in letting him speak. 

Just remember that at the end of the day, you all share the same network of fellow Generals who want you to succeed in life. Be nice to each other and don’t forget to put politics aside and have some fun every once in a while.

The opinions expressed in this magazine are the author's own and do not reflect the official policy or position of The Spectator, or any students or other contributors associated with the magazine. It is the intention of The Spectator to promote student thought and civil discourse, and it is our hope to maintain that civility in all discussions.