As the entire campus knows by now, the 45th and 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump, is coming to campus to give a commencement address for graduates. Though it is a historic event that many on campus are buzzing and excited about, a loud opposition has tried to claim support of the entire campus in rallying against his visit.
Trump’s commencement address will mark the first time a sitting president has visited the University’s campus for an address since former President Ronald Reagan came in the ‘80s for his reelection campaign.
Why?
Of campaign events held between Aug. 23 and Nov. 4, 2024, 94% were in the seven swing states, and out of the less than 6% of other events, only one was in Alabama: Trump’s attending of the Alabama-Georgia game in September.
Alabama is constantly overlooked by both political parties in modern history, but Trump has been working to amend this since he launched his 2024 campaign. Trump visited traditionally blue and red states often, giving attention to a large portion of the population that is often ignored on the national scale, Alabama included. Trump coming to speak for commencement and the state holding its first ever Republican presidential primary debate in December 2023 are great examples of this.
A sitting president visiting any campus is a big deal. It reflects national recognition and gives students — graduates in this case — a rare opportunity they may never get again.
When I had an opportunity to see then-President Joe Biden while visiting Washington, D.C. in 2022, I jumped at the chance. Despite my many disagreements with his policies and beliefs, he was still the sitting president of the United States. Yet, left-leaning organizations and individuals on campus and across the country want to weigh in and ruin that chance for others with endless petitions and protests against our current president.
Trump’s address is an entirely optional event, open to only graduates. That means that no one is forced to go there, so why try to take that opportunity from the ones who do want to go?
Hate. Censorship. Suppression. Fear of opposing viewpoints. Those factors drive this opposition. Haters and protestors fear that people will be exposed to a viewpoint other than their own and they can’t stand it, but isn’t that what universities are supposed to be for? Facilitating open dialogue and access to contrasting viewpoints should be one of the cornerstones of higher education.
Trump’s visit achieves many things: It facilitates a chance for open dialogue, it provides a chance many others may never get, it marks a historical moment for our beloved campus and it sets a precedent of not ignoring the historically ignored.
Trenton Buffenbarger is a junior majoring in political science and president of the UA Young Americans for Freedom chapter.
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