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BREAKING: UVA LIFTS SIGN BAN

by Rick Reilly

Jon Campbell

UVa students were heard loud and clear.

Somewhere, UVa founder Thomas Jefferson has to be fist-pumping. Not to mention alums Woodrow Wilson and Bobby Kennedy, all of whom knew a thing or two about standing up to bullies.

What the students of Virginia did was go about fighting a wrong—in a clever, non-violent way—and wound up righting a wrong. Virginia has appealed its ridiculous sign ban. The students won. Civil protest works. Not to mention the Constitution.

If my column helped Virginia students see that they didn't have to just take it, that they could make a difference, I'm glad. I have two kids in college myself—one at Wisconsin and one at USC. They've been following this story, too. And yes, it was only football. But maybe next time it's curriculum. Or student rights. Or war.

If I were a Virginia student today, I'd be feeling very good about myself and my student body and my school. Right up until the time I remembered we just lost to Duke.



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