Samantha, I took a workshop with you at the Roanoke Regional Writers Conference. I am often in Lexington and grateful as an independent scholar to use the W&L Library. I am NOT grateful to hear about what they've done and this text string is deeply upsetting. I'm glad you included it because it confronts us with reality in an incontrovertible way. I stand with you and would love to know as one of your Substack readers how we can help. I have a number of Lexington contacts.
I'm also a fundraiser and an organizer. What I'm clear about is that although people have a right to organize around their beliefs, and that's what these donors did, the institution has failed you, the law, and its students--and the donors who *support* you and this "radical" President have failed to mobilize and create a countervailing force. The law school at W&L should take this up as well! It seems to me there is an organizing opportunity here; has it been taken?
I just phoned the Office of the President. I asked if I could register an opinion, and the person who answered said I could. Keeping a *very* calm and respectful voice, I said I was calling with concern regarding the firing of Gregory Samantha Rosenthal, and that it had changed my feeling about Washington & Lee. (I made clear it had changed my feeling in the negative.) I asked if there were anything I could do to help. (This was probably an odd question but it was what arose for me to offer.) The person asked me my connection to the university (I am a community member, not an alum), my name, and phone number and said someone would respond to me.
Wow. The comments on this post are horribly hateful. Who you are as a person does not hurt me in any way and it is NOT okay to hurt others in this way. Let’s all remember the Golden Rule and treat others with kindness. Sending kind thoughts to this woman who is enduring all of this hatred.
I’m so horrified by this and also sadly unsurprised, given the state of higher ed right now. I hope you are surrounded by people who are lifting you up and supporting you in this fight. Thank you for your invaluable scholarship and activism.
And I'm guessing, as an alumnus, most of those commenting have absolutely no connection to the school at all. We faced the same in our fight to change the name.
Only when the old, rich, white alumni die.
W&L changed my life as a poor kid from Raphine who was able to go there for a lot less than JMU. That's why I'm fighting to change it.
As someone who has also been the topic of that vitriolic history and tradition Facebook group and come under the ire of Generals Redoubt, stay strong and keep the fight. The administration has no backbone whatsoever and only cares about money. Solidarity.
I wrote W&L’s general counsel twice to warn them that the “History and Tradition” page was fomenting massive amounts of anti-LGBTQ sentiment amongst the ranks that it shared with the equally odious Generals Redoubt.
Washington and Lee-History and Tradition are the worst neanderthals out there. But there are other alumni forces that are trying and calling for change, and this will be blasted to them:
I am.....speechless. Sending strength to you.
Sending solidarity, sympathy, and fortitude. So sorry you've had to deal with this.
The comments you received are disgusting, and the actions of W&L university are reprehensible. I'm furious and sad that this happened.
Samantha, I took a workshop with you at the Roanoke Regional Writers Conference. I am often in Lexington and grateful as an independent scholar to use the W&L Library. I am NOT grateful to hear about what they've done and this text string is deeply upsetting. I'm glad you included it because it confronts us with reality in an incontrovertible way. I stand with you and would love to know as one of your Substack readers how we can help. I have a number of Lexington contacts.
I'm also a fundraiser and an organizer. What I'm clear about is that although people have a right to organize around their beliefs, and that's what these donors did, the institution has failed you, the law, and its students--and the donors who *support* you and this "radical" President have failed to mobilize and create a countervailing force. The law school at W&L should take this up as well! It seems to me there is an organizing opportunity here; has it been taken?
I just phoned the Office of the President. I asked if I could register an opinion, and the person who answered said I could. Keeping a *very* calm and respectful voice, I said I was calling with concern regarding the firing of Gregory Samantha Rosenthal, and that it had changed my feeling about Washington & Lee. (I made clear it had changed my feeling in the negative.) I asked if there were anything I could do to help. (This was probably an odd question but it was what arose for me to offer.) The person asked me my connection to the university (I am a community member, not an alum), my name, and phone number and said someone would respond to me.
Good for you for standing up for yourself. I saw some extremely hateful comments on your post, and I’m sorry you’re experiencing that hate.
Wow. The comments on this post are horribly hateful. Who you are as a person does not hurt me in any way and it is NOT okay to hurt others in this way. Let’s all remember the Golden Rule and treat others with kindness. Sending kind thoughts to this woman who is enduring all of this hatred.
🥺
The comments/messages you attached to your Article are as heartbreaking as your story. Especially the “it talk.” So painful to read.
So sorry you went through this.
This is so horrifying. I'm so sorry you were subjected to this online abuse, and then further punished for it by the university.
I’m so horrified by this and also sadly unsurprised, given the state of higher ed right now. I hope you are surrounded by people who are lifting you up and supporting you in this fight. Thank you for your invaluable scholarship and activism.
Sending love, this is abominable.
And I'm guessing, as an alumnus, most of those commenting have absolutely no connection to the school at all. We faced the same in our fight to change the name.
Only when the old, rich, white alumni die.
W&L changed my life as a poor kid from Raphine who was able to go there for a lot less than JMU. That's why I'm fighting to change it.
As someone who has also been the topic of that vitriolic history and tradition Facebook group and come under the ire of Generals Redoubt, stay strong and keep the fight. The administration has no backbone whatsoever and only cares about money. Solidarity.
I wrote W&L’s general counsel twice to warn them that the “History and Tradition” page was fomenting massive amounts of anti-LGBTQ sentiment amongst the ranks that it shared with the equally odious Generals Redoubt.
Washington and Lee-History and Tradition are the worst neanderthals out there. But there are other alumni forces that are trying and calling for change, and this will be blasted to them:
https://www.notunmindul.org
This link doesn't work--I'd like to support this effort. Is there an updated link?
https://www.notunmindful.org
Working on the DNS issue
There’s no such thing as transgender history bc there’s no such thing as transgender.