At the university’s last two games in Death Valley, parts of the student section erupted in an explicit chant aimed at President Joe Biden.
These lamenters were not alone, as they joined countless others in student sections from around the country to publicly decry the administration’s recent streak of policy decisions. So whether you were in the student section chanting or took to social media to condemn it, my advice is the same—foster a civil dialogue.
With Democratic control of our federal government’s executive and legislative branches, the party’s missteps are now in the spotlight—the CDC’s inconsistent messaging, Pres. Biden’s disappointing public speaking skills and his administration’s execution of the withdrawal from Afghanistan are good motivations for the students’ discontent with their nation’s leaders.
However, every student on campus doesn’t have the same complaints about our current administration’s performance. As a flagship public university in the heart of the South, it comes as no surprise that the university’s student body holds a wide range of personal opinions.
While many of these opinions are expressed, very few are discussed with a genuine want for understanding on both sides. All too often, students of different political persuasions want nothing to do with one another. This mentality of division along party lines must end if we’re going to move our university, country and world forward.
The goal of the student and university alike should be to use education and conversation to advance human understanding. Traditionally, university students have done so by sharing ideas and letting them compete in a meritocracy. Rational thinkers decide what is merit by discussing all ideas, leaving the bad ones behind and using the best to move humanity forward.
I encourage you to look at your own beliefs and ask yourself why you hold them. Bolster your understanding of differing opinions by reading news from alternative sources. Discuss your ideas with people who agree with you and see what they have to add. Equip yourself with the knowledge you need to hold a conversation that can forever foster a change in our school.
For change to occur, we must all have an attitude of humility and a heart for understanding our fellow student’s convictions. Share your ideas with the best reasoning and data that you can find, and know that the person you’re talking to is doing the same thing. Be ready to be wrong and embrace it because it’s a step in the right direction.
In a time of great political divide, each of us can bridge that gap with a conversation. Embrace your ideological opponents as fellow students and citizens of the world, and work with them to create a better university environment for us all.
Canaan Charrier is a 19-year-old finance, religious studies and international relations sophomore from Monroe, Louisiana.