"ACC Spring Commencement 2017" Courtesy of Austin Community College: Licence (CC BY 2.0)
Education
Commencement: What Politicians Want the Class of 2017 to Know
Over the past few weeks, hundreds of thousands of students nationwide walked across football fields, basketball courts, and stages to receive their diplomas. They sat patiently, sporting caps and gowns in their school colors, while professors, politicians, CEOs, and celebrities imparted wisdom, jokes, and life lessons upon them. Here are the commencement speeches from politicians that will be flooding your newsfeeds for the next month.
Vice President Mike Pence’s commencement speech at Notre Dame is making headlines, not because of his message, but because of a group of protesting students. At least 100 graduates walked out of the ceremony during Pence’s speech, citing the former Indiana governor’s policies targeting minorities, immigrants, and the LGBTQ+ community.
Ironically, Pence’s speech focused primarily on what he called the “destructive” wave of political correctness and chills on free speech on campuses.
“Far too many campuses across America have become characterized by speech codes, safe spaces, tone policing, administration-sanctioned political correctness–all of which amounts to the suppression of free speech,” Pence said. “These practices are destructive of learning and the pursuit of knowledge.”
The protest was planned with the knowledge of administrators and police ahead of time, and the student organizers asked their classmates to walk out “respectfully and quietly.”
Even amid cheers and boos from the audience as graduates walked out, Pence encouraged the Catholic university’s class of 2017 to “lead for good” and maintain their religious faith.
“Strive everyday to lead for good with courage and conviction,” Pence said. “Live your life according to the precepts and principles that you have learned and seen here at Notre Dame, and in all you do, have faith that He who brought you this far will never leave you nor forsake you, because He never will…I know you will not only persevere, you will prevail, and you will lead your families, your professions and our country to unimaginable heights.”
Pence also spoke at Grove City College, a Christian liberal arts college in Pennsylvania, and at the U.S. Naval Academy.
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