Recently Mike Pence spoke at Notre Dame's graduation as their commencement speaker and over 100 students walked out before he even began his speech. Since there has been both praise and condemnation from both sides about the students decision to walk out on Mike Pence's speech. However, one thing that disturbed me the most about the comments on why the students should not have protested, was that people thought their decision was just about them not being able to "listen to another opinion" or "hear something that they disagree with". Activism is not about the opinion nor is it necessarily about the person voicing the viewpoint, its about the rhetoric and the larger ideas. Yes, Mike Pence is the Vice President of the United States but he has repeatedly made himself clear on the ideals and rhetoric that he supports and values. He has never been vague or disputed any highly inflating rhetoric he's ever been associated with such as supporting Trump's highly racist and islamophobic Muslim Ban and his belief in conversion therapy which he funded in the state of Indiana. These are not ideals about how an economy should be run, these are ideals that impact people at a personal level. So yeah if on the day that I'm supposed to be the happiest about my accomplishments along with the people who mean the most, a man who has questioned my humanity and viability as a person stands before me knowing what he stands for, I too am going to leave. The same goes for people like Ann Coulter, Milo Yiannopoulos, Betsy DeVos and Steve Bannon who also support highly disturbing ideals. Activism is definied as the policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change. Students turning their backs, walking out, and refusing to take pictures with individuals who are against what they believe in is more than just a matter of opinion. They are taking a stand against a representation and that should not be condemned, but respected. It is well within their right, and more importantly it was what this country was founded on. An act of civil disobedience is personal in taking action against an ideal and rhetoric that you disagree with not a person and their opinion. You would not expect Martin Luther King Jr. or Malcom X to sit and listen to leaders of the KKK, so why would you expect the same of students who are against the message of Mike Pence?
