As a student at Saint Anselm College, I am tremendously grateful for the academic, political and extracurricular opportunities I have received throughout my college career. This past year, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump were all given the opportunity to speak on our campus.
Since then, Mr. Trump’s campaign has devolved into a campaign of hatred and ignorance. I am extremely disappointed in Saint Anselm College’s decision to allow Trump to return to our campus for a private event.
The campaign he is running – and the speech he delivered Monday – incites racism, sexism, xenophobia and Islamophobia, and has received bipartisan condemnation. This view was most recently displayed in Mr. Trump’s statements regarding the Orlando shooting, when he coldly reiterated his call for a “ban” on Muslims into the United States.
His dangerous and offensive rhetoric stands in opposition with the values promoted by Saint Anselm College.
The New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm has historically provided a nonpartisan discussion forum for a variety of controversial speakers as well as political candidates, regardless of their party affiliation.
Some may argue denying the presumptive Republican presidential nominee the right to speak at Saint Anselm College violates the institute’s commitment to providing this nonpartisan discussion forum, but this is not a matter of nonpartisanship.
Some may argue that Saint Anselm ought not shy away from controversy, but this is not a matter of controversy.
Some may argue Saint Anselm College ought not impede the freedom of speech, but this is not a matter of free speech.
This is a matter of saying “no” to a campaign of unprecedented hatred.
In every opportunity I have had on this campus, I have been encouraged to be kind. I have been encouraged to be hospitable. I have been encouraged to love.
As a Catholic and Benedictine institution, we are called to ensure our community is inclusive and respectful to all people.
Saint Anselm has chosen to disregard our Benedictine values for the sake of upholding a “nonpartisan” reputation. As a result, we now see our institution’s name on news clips of Mr. Trump’s hateful rhetoric, forever tying us to his unrivaled platform of fear-mongering and intolerance.
We all know what this man has said. We all know what this man stands for. From his racist, exclusionary immigration policy, to his brutal, imprudent foreign policy, to his denial of basic climate science – it is clear Mr. Trump is an anomaly and a disgrace to the political process. His campaign cannot be catered to as “business as usual” by those individuals and institutions engaged in our political process.
If Mr. Trump requested to speak at an institution that promotes hatred, violence and ignorance, then I am sure he would be more than welcome at such an institution. Saint Anselm College is not such an institution.
I am speaking on behalf of the members of the Saint Anselm College community who believe upholding the Benedictine values of love and hospitality override the college’s decision to perform business as usual.
In the face of such discrimination and hatred, it is the responsibility of both citizens and institutions to speak up. To allow such speech to go unchallenged is to silently endorse it.
Saint Anselm College can no longer preach love while handing hatred a microphone.
Until our institution recognizes and condemns Mr. Trump’s intolerance, Saint Anselm College is part of his unprecedented and harmful rhetoric.
I urge the Saint Anselm College administration to recognize and condemn Donald Trump’s destructive campaign.
(Miranda Groux is a rising senior at Saint Anselm College, majoring in Peace and Justice Studies and Philosophy.)