SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
#WalkOutND: Students Plan to Protest Pence Speech at Notre Dame University
Activist group at Notre Dame University says walkout meant to show solidarity with LGBTQ, undocumented, low-income, and female students
May 19, 2017
Students at Notre Dame University are planning to stage a walkout during Vice President Mike Pence's commencement speech there on Sunday, according to ThinkProgress.
An activist group at the Indiana university said they are planning the demonstration to show solidarity with LGBTQ, undocumented, low-income, and female students--all targets of the Trump administration's regressive policies. Pence previously served as governor of Indiana, where he became known for championing rightwing policies against climate action, abortion access, and immigration, among other issues.
The group, We StaND For, told ThinkProgress that students plan to stand up as Pence starts speaking and exit the ceremony, and that 50 to 100 people are expected to take part. Protesters are using the hashtag #WalkOutND to bring awareness to the plans.
"During his time as governor of the state of Indiana and now as a vice president, Pence has targeted the civil rights protections of members of LBGT+ community, rejected the Syrian refugee resettlement program, supported an unconstitutional ban of religious minorities, and fought against sanctuary cities," We StaND For explained. "All of these policies have marginalized our vulnerable sisters and brothers for their religion, skin color, or sexual orientation."
Bryan Ricketts, one of the student organizers, told ThinkProgress that the university has been supportive of the group's plans. More than 1,700 alumni signed a letter stating their disappointment with the school's selection of Pence as commencement speaker.
Other local groups are also expected to protest Pence's visit. Off-campus demonstrations are being planned by We Go High!, South Bend Equality, and the Michiana Alliance for Democracy.
Pence is just the latest member of the Trump administration to get an icy welcome for a university visit. Students turned their backs on Education Secretary Betsy DeVos as she gave a commencement speech Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida just this month.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Nadia Prupis
Nadia Prupis is a former Common Dreams staff writer. She wrote on media policy for Truthout.org and has been published in New America Media and AlterNet. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a BA in English in 2008.
Students at Notre Dame University are planning to stage a walkout during Vice President Mike Pence's commencement speech there on Sunday, according to ThinkProgress.
An activist group at the Indiana university said they are planning the demonstration to show solidarity with LGBTQ, undocumented, low-income, and female students--all targets of the Trump administration's regressive policies. Pence previously served as governor of Indiana, where he became known for championing rightwing policies against climate action, abortion access, and immigration, among other issues.
The group, We StaND For, told ThinkProgress that students plan to stand up as Pence starts speaking and exit the ceremony, and that 50 to 100 people are expected to take part. Protesters are using the hashtag #WalkOutND to bring awareness to the plans.
"During his time as governor of the state of Indiana and now as a vice president, Pence has targeted the civil rights protections of members of LBGT+ community, rejected the Syrian refugee resettlement program, supported an unconstitutional ban of religious minorities, and fought against sanctuary cities," We StaND For explained. "All of these policies have marginalized our vulnerable sisters and brothers for their religion, skin color, or sexual orientation."
Bryan Ricketts, one of the student organizers, told ThinkProgress that the university has been supportive of the group's plans. More than 1,700 alumni signed a letter stating their disappointment with the school's selection of Pence as commencement speaker.
Other local groups are also expected to protest Pence's visit. Off-campus demonstrations are being planned by We Go High!, South Bend Equality, and the Michiana Alliance for Democracy.
Pence is just the latest member of the Trump administration to get an icy welcome for a university visit. Students turned their backs on Education Secretary Betsy DeVos as she gave a commencement speech Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida just this month.
Nadia Prupis
Nadia Prupis is a former Common Dreams staff writer. She wrote on media policy for Truthout.org and has been published in New America Media and AlterNet. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a BA in English in 2008.
Students at Notre Dame University are planning to stage a walkout during Vice President Mike Pence's commencement speech there on Sunday, according to ThinkProgress.
An activist group at the Indiana university said they are planning the demonstration to show solidarity with LGBTQ, undocumented, low-income, and female students--all targets of the Trump administration's regressive policies. Pence previously served as governor of Indiana, where he became known for championing rightwing policies against climate action, abortion access, and immigration, among other issues.
The group, We StaND For, told ThinkProgress that students plan to stand up as Pence starts speaking and exit the ceremony, and that 50 to 100 people are expected to take part. Protesters are using the hashtag #WalkOutND to bring awareness to the plans.
"During his time as governor of the state of Indiana and now as a vice president, Pence has targeted the civil rights protections of members of LBGT+ community, rejected the Syrian refugee resettlement program, supported an unconstitutional ban of religious minorities, and fought against sanctuary cities," We StaND For explained. "All of these policies have marginalized our vulnerable sisters and brothers for their religion, skin color, or sexual orientation."
Bryan Ricketts, one of the student organizers, told ThinkProgress that the university has been supportive of the group's plans. More than 1,700 alumni signed a letter stating their disappointment with the school's selection of Pence as commencement speaker.
Other local groups are also expected to protest Pence's visit. Off-campus demonstrations are being planned by We Go High!, South Bend Equality, and the Michiana Alliance for Democracy.
Pence is just the latest member of the Trump administration to get an icy welcome for a university visit. Students turned their backs on Education Secretary Betsy DeVos as she gave a commencement speech Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida just this month.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy