Page 16 - Integrity Seminars - Special Report

Douglass’s newspaper debates were not holding ourselves perfectly free to change our
rhetorical exercises. He grappled with difficult opinion in any direction, and at any time which
issues and sometimes changed his mind. may be indicated by our immediate
Perhaps the best example was his protracted apprehension of truth, unbiased by the smiles or
dialogue with fellow abolitionist Gerrit Smith frowns of any class or party of abolitionists. The
about whether the Constitution was
only truly consistent man is he who will, for the
"pro-slavery." Douglass initially contended it was,
sake of being right today, contradict what he
but eventually argued a contrary position in
said wrong yesterday. “Sufficient unto the day is
1860 --after telling Smith in 1851 he was "so
the evil thereof.” True stability consists not in
much impressed" by his reasoning and was "sick
being of the same opinion now as formerly, but in
and tired of arguing on the slaveholders’ side of
a fixed principle of honesty, even urging us to the
this question."
adoption or rejection of that which may seem to
us true or false at the ever-present now.

How can educators convey both the theory and
practice of Douglass’s foundational commitment
to truth-seeking, truth-telling, and freedom of
expression? One starting point is to engage with
students on Douglass’s legacy in this regard
and highlight a powerful contemporary variation
argued by President Obama in his 2016
commencement address at Rutgers University:

If you disagree with somebody, bring them in
and ask them tough questions. Hold their feet to
the fire. Make them defend their positions. If
somebody has got a bad or offensive idea, prove
it wrong. Engage it. Debate it. Stand up for what
you believe in. Don't be scared to take somebody
on. Don't feel like you got to shut your ears off
because you're too fragile and somebody might

Dedication page of Frederick Douglass, My Bondage offend your sensibilities. Go at them if they’re not
and My Freedom/ Wikipedia Commons
making any sense. Use your logic and reason and
In 1849, when framing his newspaper debate words. And by doing so, you’ll strengthen your
about the Constitution and slavery, Douglass own position, and you’ll hone your arguments.
told his readers that "[w]e are prepared to hear And maybe you’ll learn something and realize
all sides, and to give the arguments of our you don't know everything. And you may have a
opponents a candid consideration. Where an new understanding not only about what your
honest expression of views is allowed, Truth has opponents believe but maybe what you believe.
nothing to fear." He also observed: Either way, you win.
[O]ur only aim is to know what is truth and what
is duty in respect to the matter in dispute,

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