Last night, Ben Shapiro spoke at the University of Tennessee Knoxville in Alumni Memorial Hall on the campus. Shapiro was invited by Young Americans for Freedom, the same group who sponsored his speech at the University of California Berkeley where 600 police officers were required to hold back the protesters.

What a vastly different situation at the University of Tennessee. Several factors contributed to this. First, the event was not widely publicized to the general public. Next, only 350 tickets were made available for the Shapiro speech. The tickets sold out very quickly.

Alumni Memorial Hall is only three tenths of a mile from the statue of the Torchbearer on Circle Park Drive. The statue of The Torchbearer is the symbol of the University of Tennessee Knoxville and it speaks to the Volunteer Creed (Go Vols):

Since 1968, the Torchbearer—UT’s official symbol—has borne silent witness to the university’s Volunteer Creed: “One that beareth a torch shadoweth oneself to give light to others.”

Ben Shapiro is 33 years old and has been a syndicated columnist for 16 years. Yes, and he entered college (UCLA) at age 16. He is currently editor in chief of the Daily Wire. The light that Shapiro shined for anyone open to listening was bright and inspiring. Below is the full video courtesy of Young Americans for Freedom:

If you don’t have an hour plus to watch the video, let me recount a one low light and a few high lights:

Vice Chancellor for Student Life Vincent Carilli read a welcoming statement that should have been unnecessary, if the University was truly doing its job. He asked the audience to be respectful to the speaker. Vice Vinnie is the caricature of an inefficient bureaucratic administrator. The one low light of the night.

Ben Shapiro speaks very fast. I used to think it was because he was trying to get as much content as possible in to the two and a half minute television segments. No. There is a reason he got into UCLA at age 16 and graduated Harvard Law. He really, really is that much smarter than your average bear.