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I have the privilege of being a child of the great state of Virginia. My brother and I arrogantly refer to it has the colony that begat all others! One of the most notable beacons of my home state is the University of Virginia. Though not the first state funded academic institution (The University of North Carolina holds that honor), it stands as the gold standard in the eyes of many as what a true "public" institution should be. Founded by Thomas Jefferson and inspired by the values of the enlightenment, the vision for UVa was that it would be a truly secular institution driven by the fundamentals of rationalism. Rationalism is the belief that human reason is the ultimate source of knowledge and that the material world is all that matters. In other words, the supernatural or divine are of no avail compared to reason and science. Jefferson took this so seriously that even the original campus was designed to send a message. With the Rotunda housing the library strategically placed at the helm of the original pavilion, (ironically where most chapels would be placed in other institutions) it is lined on each side with both faculty and student housing representing the desire for UVa to be an authentic learning community. The end opposite of the Rotunda was intentionally left open with no buildings as to represent the openness of the human mind as the chief end of man.

We have journeyed many miles as a people since those days. I was recently watching an interview with the daughter of a prominent political dignitary who happens to have strong feminist convictions. There was some discussion regarding Governor Sarah Palin and some of her conservative values. The question was asked as to whether or not Palin potentially being elected as Vice President was a step forward or a step back for women. After attempting to ignore the question for several minutes, she finally admitted that she felt that Palin was not beneficial for women's rights. Sarah Palin being the first woman elected to the second highest office in our land is not a step forward for women? The reason? Could it be because she is a devoted wife and mother of five and she is prolife? These values fly in the face of the majority of modern feminists even though Palin's story rings true for the pioneers of historical feminism and women's suffrage.

So let me get this straight, Palin successfully proving that a woman can devote herself to her family and faith and yet transcend culture and become a successful business woman and elected official sends women back to the inquisition? Wendy Doniger, Professor of History of Religions at the University of Chicago, even went so far as to say that Palin was not a woman because she is not in tune with the real needs of women. Not a woman? Seems to me that she is performing the basic organic and biological functions of a woman yet superseding them.

Now let me ask you, how open is the modern mind? How free is our culture to think openly about truth? Is this even about feminism or something else all together? Ironically, if you were to tour the old campus of UVa today, you find something very astonishing. A walk through the original Academic pavilion would uncover that a building now stands closing off the adjacent end of the common grounds. This building is Cabel Hall which houses a significant portion of the School of Arts and Sciences for the university. I wonder if this represents the "closing of the modern mind?" Is feminism even about women anymore or about destroying what is left of traditional family values. I stand amazed at the depths of our modern culture to ignore its own mantra of freedom and autonomy in thinking and belief while at the same time working so hard to restrict others same freedoms. In the immortal words of Doc Holiday from the classic movie Tombstone, "Tis funny, my hypocrisy knows no bounds."