You can be sure Jefferson knew what he was talking about when he said, "" If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was, and never will be. "" (Applause) On a more personal note, this betrayal of our principles, our decency, our hope, made it impossible for me to avoid the question, "" What will I say, years from now, when people ask, 'Where were you?' "" As president of a leading liberal arts college, famous for its innovative history, there were no excuses.