A group of 53 scholars have announced their support for Donald Trump, in an effort to show “supporters of the Trump agenda are by no means limited to the badly educated and ill-informed.”

The conveners of the list of scholars are Dr. Paul Gottfried, Dr. Walter Block, and Dr. Boyd Cathey. Gottfried is well known in paleconservative circles, Block is a famous libertarian economist, and Cathey has been accused by the Southern Poverty Law Center of being involved with holocaust denial.

The three wrote in a statement: “We are fully aware that signing this statement will not bring the signatory the same professional rewards as speaking at a conference on why Trump is a ‘fascist’ or on why he reminds one of the late German Fuhrer. Expressing support for the Republican presidential candidate undoubtedly requires more courage, particularly for someone in the academic profession.”

The three hope that attention of scholars supporting Trump will entice others to sign the statement of endorsement.

A week ago and a half ago, 30 scholars had signed the statement.

The statement says: “Contrary to what is disseminated by both the mainstream media and by certain members of the Washington/New York political establishment, supporters of the Trump agenda are by no means limited to the badly educated and ill-informed. We feature numerous academics and other professionals who share the vision of ‘making America great again.’ We are vitally concerned about reversing the direction in which this country has been moving for decades under both Democratic and Republican administrations alike.”

It goes on to say they believe Trump will fight against political correctness, enforce rule of law, make America’s borders secure, and give a new direction to America’s foreign policy.

The scholars who have signed onto the statement are as follows:

Wayne M. Adler, JD, Seton Hall

Wayne Allensworth, Author and Russian/foreign affairs consultant; MA, University of Texas Robert Belleville, Headmaster, Holy Family Academy; PhD, Boston College Walter Block, Professor of Economics, Loyola University, New Orleans; PhD, Columbia University Darren Beattie, Duke University; PhD, Duke University David Brook, Director (retired), North Carolina Division of Archives and History; PhD, North Carolina State University Michael W. Burnett, PhD (Geochemistry), 1980, California Institute of Technology Adam Candeub, Professor of Law, Michigan State University; JD, University of Pennsylvania Law School; BA, Yale University Robert Carballo, Professor of English, Millersville University; PhD, University of Miami Boyd Cathey, State Registrar (retired), North Carolina Division of Archives and History; MA (Jefferson Fellow), University of Virginia; PhD, University of Navarra, Spain Tim Condon, Author; BA, University of South Florida; JD, University of Florida Robert F. Conn, JD, Texas Tech University Brad Culkin, CTO, New Logic Research; PhD (Physics), Northwestern University; MA, The Johns Hopkins University Judge Sam Currin (retired), former Chairman, NC Republican Party; JD, University of North Carolina School of Law Marshall DeRosa, Professor, Florida Atlantic University; PhD, University of Houston Stephen P. Foster, Professor and University Librarian, Wright State University; PhD, St. Louis University Paul Gottfried, Elizabethtown College, Raffensperger Professor of Humanities (emeritus); PhD, Yale University Fran Griffin, President, Fitzgerald Griffin Foundation; MA, University of Chicago Reed R. Heustis, JD, California Western School of Law; BS, University of California-Irvine Michael Hickman, Professor, University of Mary; PhD, Catholic University of America Shane Hoose, Assistant Professor of Music, Eastern Kentucky University; PhD, University of Iowa James Kalb, JD, Yale University Nicholas Kaster, Author; JD, DePaul College of Law Jack Kerwick, Professor, Rowan College, New Jersey; PhD, Temple University Kimberly Johnson, Professor of Sociology, Lock Haven University; PhD, University of North Texas Donald Livingston, Professor of Philosophy (emeritus), Emory University; PhD, Washington University John M. Longino, MBA, University of Texas Wayne Lutton, Editor of Social Contract; PhD, Johns Hopkins University Christopher Manion, Professor, Christendom College; PhD, Notre Dame University Brion McClanahan, PhD, University of South Carolina Donald W. Miller, Professor of Surgery (emeritus), Seattle Swedish Medical Center Karen A. Mitchell, MA (English), SUNY-New Paltz Stephen F. Moore, Professor (emeritus), California Polytechnic; PhD, University of California-Davis Julie Nelson, Publisher, Psychology Times; PhD, University of Oklahoma John Newhard, Professor, East Tennessee State University; PhD, Clemson University Eric Obermeyer, Professional Engineer; MS, Michigan Technological University Larry Odzak, Visiting Scholar (emeritus), University of North Carolina; PhD, University of Florida Alan Potkin, Professor, Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Northern Illinois University; PhD, University of California, Berkeley Dan “Red” Phillips, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Mercer University; MD, Emory University, Mark Pulliam, Author; JD, University of Texas School of Law Ralph Raico, Professor, SUNY Buffalo; PhD, University of Chicago Thomas J. Robertson, Jr., MD, University of Virginia School of Medicine; BS, Hampden Sydney College Kurt Roemer, Professor, University of San Francisco; MMS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Jesse Russell, Professor, University of Mary; PhD, Louisiana State University Jeremy Sain, Associate Professor of Mathematics, Clarendon College; PhD, University of California-Berkeley Carmine T. Sarraccino, Professor of English, Elizabethtown College; PhD, University of Michigan Mirand Sharma, MD, Emergency Medicine Specialist William L.Smith, ME (retired); BS, Marquette University David L. Sonnier, Professor of Computer Science, Lyon College; MS, Georgia Institute of Technology; Lt. Colonel (retired); BS, U. S. Military Academy Michael R. Stoddard, CPA/CFA, Brigham Young University Frank J. Tipler, Professor, Tulane University; PhD, University of Maryland Richard W. Wilcke, Executive-in-Residence, Equine Industry Program, College of Business, University of Louisville; BS, Kansas State University; Second-Degree Plan, Washburn University Clyde Wilson, Professor of History (emeritus), University of South Carolina; PhD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Previously, a large group of American writers announced their support for Trump.