Students and faculty at Taylor University, a small Christian school in Upland Indiana, walked out on their own graduation Saturday as the so-called Vice President Mike Pence delivered the commencement address. Newsweek:
The small demonstration came after Taylor students and members of the surrounding Upland, Indiana, community started an online petition to bar Pence from giving the address, citing concerns that it could be construed as an endorsement of President Donald Trump’s policies. Many of those who remained at the ceremony but objected to Pence’s presence sported buttons that declared, “I am Taylor Too,” which intended to show that the university houses a multitude of viewpoints in contrast to those held by the administration.
Close to 10,000 people signed the Change.org petition, although only a fraction of the roughly 500 graduating students actually ended up walking out of the speech. Still, the demonstration marked a rare instance in which a member of the Trump administration was rebuffed in what many considered to be friendly territory.
“Inviting Vice President Pence to Taylor University and giving him a coveted platform for his political views makes our alumni, faculty, staff and current students complicit in the Trump-Pence Administration's policies, which we believe are not consistent with the Christian ethic of love we hold dear,” the petition read.
Tiffany Cross, play us out:
