At Notre Dame, Pence attacks campus ‘political correctness’ – Politico

At the beginning of Vice President Mike Pences address, a group of students walked out of the graduation ceremony in protest. | Getty

By Bianca Padr Ocasio

05/21/2017 02:30 PM EDT

Updated 05/21/2017 05:08 PM EDT

Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday that attacks on freedom of speech on college campuses, including administration-sanctioned political correctness, are on the rise and should not be met with silence.

This university is a vanguard of freedom of expression and the free exchange of ideas at a time, sadly, when free speech and civility are waning on campuses across America, he told the graduating class during a commencement speech at the University of Notre Dame.

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While this institution has maintained an atmosphere of civility and open debate, far too many campuses across America have become characterized by speech codes, safe zones, tone policing, administration-sanctioned political correctness all of which amounts to nothing less than suppression of the freedom of speech, the vice president added.

The former Indiana governor encouraged the graduates to speak up against the increasing intolerance toward opposing views, which he said are destructive of learning.

As you, our youth, are the future, and universities, the bellwether of thought and culture, I would submit that the increasing intolerance and suppression of the time-honored tradition of free expression on our campuses jeopardizes the liberties of every American, Pence said.

This should not and must not be met with silence.

The vice president might have left thinking he had some confirmation for his views on tolerance.

At the beginning of Pences address, a group of students walked out of the graduation ceremony to protest his presence. The South Bend Tribune said about 150 students and family members took part in the walkout.

GLAAD, a non-profit that advocates for LGBTQ rights, streamed remarks from some of the students who left the ceremony.

"Graduates around the country deserve commencement speakers who inspire them to propel our diverse country forward, and these Notre Dame students bravely told the world that Vice President Pences anti-LGBTQ actions fly in the face of unity and inspiration," GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement.

"These Notre Dame graduates should be applauded for demonstrating true leadership and standing up for freedom and acceptance," she said.

For his part, Pence also commended the new graduates and their approach to freedom of speech.

"Notre Dame is a campus where deliberation is welcomed," Pence said, "where opposing views are debated and where every speaker, no matter how unpopular or unfashionable, is afforded the right to air their views in the open for all to hear."

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At Notre Dame, Pence attacks campus 'political correctness' - Politico