They’re not “snowflakes." They’re not “sensitive liberals” either. They don’t need to “grow up” or show some respect. They’re not whiny or rude. Yet these are exactly the insults that were hurled at the 2017 Notre Dame graduates after they walked out during their commencement.
Vice President Mike Pence was announced as Notre Dame’s 2017 commencement speaker and this created a buzz amongst the graduating class for a plethora of reasons. Pence was a former Indiana congressman and governor, but he is also currently the Vice President of the United States and has made his opinion on policies more than clear.
Most of the student walkers likely know of or remember Pence as a representative of Indiana who showed strong opposition to women’s bodily autonomy (abortion rights) and LGBT rights, especially considering he signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of Indiana which allowed Indiana businesses to legally turn away and discriminate against same-sex couples. Yes, the same act that a woman used as her defense for beating her own child. He signed off on the changes to not discriminate against same-sex couples, but that doesn’t change the fact that he originally thought it was acceptable to have this discrimination made legal. From his, frankly disgusting, support of gay conversion therapy to his Islamophobic stance on immigration, Pence has made a distinct impression on America and these graduates. To put it simply, these students knew their beliefs towards Pence and chose to make a statement by walking out during the ceremony.
In an age where everyone tends to be hypersensitive keyboard warriors, a fine line needs to be drawn between being petulant and just defending your convictions. These students didn’t complain or ask for Pence to leave. They didn’t disrupt the event or hurt anyone. They didn’t affect Pence himself. After all, Pence was being paid to speak and he didn’t stop his speech when the students got up to leave. By all definitions of the term, this was nothing more than a peaceful protest.
Those making the argument that these students who stood up for their beliefs need to show some respect for Mike Pence aren't understanding the concept of respect. Respect is earned and not given. Pence lost the right to their respect when he targeted people with his staunch and oppressive policies. So these kids did what others couldn’t; they stood up and walked away to show they are willing to actually stand up for what they believe in. They stood up for the hurt and disenfranchised.
Bryan Ricketts, a former Notre Dame student body president who helped orchestrate the walk-out said, “We all got together the night after Mike Pence was announced as our commencement speaker and there were students who were undocumented, gay, women, [and] people who just cared. [We wanted to see] how to make this a commencement that is respectful to those people [and] really something that honors them rather than Pence.”
What everyone needs to keep in mind is that this was these students' commencement. It was their big day. Now imagine someone whose beliefs target you or your loved ones. You really wouldn’t want that person speaking at an event that celebrated your accomplishments. People were hurt by the policies Pence supported. These policies targeted students who came from all different backgrounds. So these students found a way to show a united front and love at a time when there isn’t much going around. You see the news filled with racist vandalism and bigoted attacks in supermarkets, but you don’t hear much about communities standing together to support one another showing that they truly are stronger than fear. These students showed they were greater than fear.
To those that say future employers should remember the faces of those who walked out, I agree. Yes, please distinctly remember which students had the moral courage strong enough to voice their disapproval of prejudice and disregard for human rights. Remember those who were determined and were willing to sacrifice their ceremony to stand up for others.
To those who say that in the real world you would never walk away from your boss like this, you must understand that this event can’t be compared to a work scenario. For one, Pence isn’t their boss. Also if a person’s boss is tyrannical and spreading hate towards particular peoples then a worker has every right to quit and not put up with that uncouth behavior. In the real world, you aren’t forced to put up with anything that compromises your morals. So, future employers of these students you should commend them for having such strong character. Remember those faces.
Instead of bickering over political stances let's have a round of applause for these students for having the character and strength to stand up for what they believe in. Not everyone has that strength. Protests are what spark change for justice. Social justice isn’t easy and it isn’t convenient and it’ll come with a lot of backlashes. These students have received everything from being berated by insults to hate mail. But when you feel strongly about something you stand up for it and that’s what these students did. They stood up for their friends. They stood up for their families. And most importantly they stood up for the people who couldn’t stand up for themselves. What’s easy isn’t always what’s right. While being quick to judge these students one must ask themselves: What have I done to stand up for what I believe in?
