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Ultimately, a university does not serve to make judgements and reasonings about what values we ought to uphold and what speech and thought is acceptable, ...

The duty of a university is to present the world unfiltered, allowing students to determine for themselves what is wrong and right and to engage with the discomfort of difference. Universities are a crucial bulwark against the division and polarization of our country — the sands of opinion are subject to the sieve of reason here more than anywhere. The University is the place to have hard conversations, the place to engage with the other side — if not here, then where? Hosting Pence is a chance to engage with the sentiments of our nation that we often turn away from — it is a chance to confront our political reality at its face value. The University should host Pence as — irrespective of his presence or absence at the University — his views reflect a significant portion of our country. However, I am writing in support of him speaking at the University and to dispute the claim that allowing Mike Pence to speak is antithetical to the University’s mission.