Students at the University of Notre Dame have initiated an online protest campaign against Vice President Mike Pence’s upcoming commencement speech. Using the hashtag #notmycommencementspeaker, some seniors have been writing quotes from Vice President Pence on whiteboards that they deem offensive, and then taking photos of them.

The photos featuring the hashtag are then posted on social media platforms to protest the vice president’s upcoming commencement speech.

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The campaign has garnered much attention on Twitter from both sides of the aisle. Many users quickly came to the defense of Vice President Pence, while others used the opportunity to speak out against the Trump administration. According to the students who started the protest, Vice President Pence embodies all that President Donald Trump’s administration stands for, and that is demeaning and offensive for some of the student body at Notre Dame.

Other student groups have also joined in the protest, including the College Democrats and the Diversity Council.

Related: College Student Sues School for Hampering His Freedom of Speech

John I. Jenkins, the president of Notre Dame, has released a statement defending the invitation of Vice President Pence. According to him, the institution found it very fitting for the 175th year of the school’s founding that an Indiana native, who served both the state and the country, give the address. Jenkins also expressed the pride Notre Dame has in welcoming Vice President Pence to speak at the commencement.

The Trump administration has been the source of many protests and parodies in the short time that President Donald Trump has been in office. The United States has seen many college campuses nationwide shut down speeches because of protesting — including violent riots that have broken out during “peaceful” protests. It seems the very places where students learn about differing views, opinions, politics, and ideas have become centers for protesting the very thing they should be learning tolerance for.

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The “I feel so unsafe!” argument has got to stop. Many protesters aren’t open to dialogue and listen only to react, not to understand. For the college, having a commencement speaker of Vice President Pence’s caliber is a moment they should be proud of. But rather than approaching the situation with an open mind and tolerance, some students would rather whine and embarrass themselves on a national level.

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I highly doubt Vice President Pence is going to take the stage and use his commencement speech to bash those who are protesting him being there.

It seems like young people in the United States continue to grasp at straws and make fools of themselves while the world watches atrocities being committed in places like Syria and North Korea. It must be so oppressive for the senior class of Notre Dame to have to sit through a speech given by the vice president of the United States — while enjoying the freedom to protest him without consequence.

Angelina Newsom is a U.S. Army veteran and an OpsLens contributor. She served 10 years in the military, including a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. She studies criminal justice and is still active within the military community. This OpsLens article is used by permission.

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