Update: Senator Tim Scott has canceled his campus appearance for Friday, October 14 at the University of Mississippi after an unforeseen conflict arose. The Ole Miss Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom and Scott’s team are working to reschedule the event.
U.S. Senator Tim Scott, R-S.C., is scheduled to speak at the University of Mississippi as a keynote for the Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom series on Friday, October 14.
Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Ole Miss Chancellor Glenn Boyce will give introductions before Scott speaks.
“America is the greatest experiment in freedom the world has known, and the classroom has always played a key role in shaping young Americans,” Wicker said. “My friend Senator Tim Scott represents the best of what can be accomplished in America, and I am grateful that he will join me at Ole Miss.”
According to Steven Skultety, chair of philosophy and religion and the center’s director, Scott’s speech will give students an opportunity to think more deeply about freedom in the United States and around the world. Skultety said that he and Scott will discuss major themes from the senator’s book, America: A Redemption Story.
Scott grew up in a poor, single-parent home in South Carolina before graduating from Charleston Southern University. He owned a small business prior to moving into the political sphere and was appointed to the Senate in 2013. Although Scott is a political figure, Skultety does not envision the conversation being a polarizing event. Instead of talking about policy, Scott will be given the opportunity to talk about the meaning of freedom from his perspective.
“We say the phrase, ‘Liberty and justice for all,’ and the university does a good job of talking about the justice part,” Skultety added. “I don’t want to take anything away from that; we should be discussing justice and what it means. I believe that we should be making the same effort for liberty and freedom.”
The event will be held in the Gertrude C. Ford Center for Performing Arts at 4:30 p.m. CT and is free and open to the public.
