Bernie Sanders gave a speech on the injustices and immoralities of today’s society to 10,000 plus conservative students and about 200 local democrats at Liberty University. Liberty University is the World’s largest Christian University with over 100,000 online students and roughly 13,500 residential students. This student body has historically voted 90% or better with the Republican candidate in general elections.
Some might recall that when Ted Cruz announced his candidacy at Liberty there was a lot of attention paid to the fact that the students who live on campus are compelled to attend Convocation services three times a week. It will be interesting to see who in the liberal media pays attention to this now that Bernie Sanders gave a speech on socialism to 10,000 students whom were compelled to attend…
It is only fair that I give credit to Bernie Sanders for his poise, calm manner and the respectful way in which he addressed the audience today at Liberty. Likewise, the students were extremely well behaved and showed love, kindness and a willingness to discuss differences of opinion.
As a resident of Lynchburg and an Alumni of Liberty University I felt I had no excuse but to attend the service and listen to what Senator Sanders had to say but more importantly to listen to how the student body would react to his comments. I was overall impressed with my alma mater but felt myself straining to not protest the idiotic content of Senator Sanders remarks.
So how was the speech?
In the beginning there was a loud applause as Bernie took the stage but it quickly gave way when his opening statement included: “I believe in women’s rights, I believe in a women’s right to control her own body and I believe in gay rights”. The applause was loud from the 200 democrats sitting near the stage and there were some isolated students who joined in but for the most part silence followed.
As if on cue, Senator Sanders continued his speech by reading Matthew chapter 7 verse 12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets”. Sanders contended that the “Golden Rule” is not complicated and should be applied throughout society. He then spoke of Amos Chapter 5: verse 24 “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! (NIV Online edition)”:
Sanders pulled the references together to speak of the injustices in society today, namely of financial inequality. He also touched on lack of health care, meager wages, racial inequality and many other items deemed social injustices. To each of these positions the 200 democrats cheered loudly and the students responded with indifferent silence, most laughing, others taking selfies and more than a hundred getting up and walking out. To be fair Sanders comments on racial inequality were certainly applauded as Liberty is a very accepting environment where racial discrimination is not practiced and abhorred by the student body and the faculty. Bernie had a typical socialist position that the wealthy 1 percent makes more than the 99% percent and that this is unfair, not right and outright wrong and that the wealthy and powerful should be punished.
He then used the typical emotional positions (which few can disagree with) that people should have access to adequate medical care, food should be available for those who are less fortunate, insurance should be provided, women should have 12 weeks of paid medical leave after delivering their child. Skin color should not result in discrimination. Education should be free for anyone who wishes to attend College.
One student in front of me whispered to his friend “He’s right- all of those things should be so, but we can’t pay for all of those things. Even we if we make more money we would pay more in taxes and then why should we work if it’s all free? Doesn’t this guy understand socialist economies don’t work?” to which I responded “Um, he is a self-proclaimed socialist.” Needless to say I was proud of this 19 year old.
Bernie concluded his speech by stating that “The meaning of justice and the meaning of morality have been a discussion of endless debate. I know at liberty those are discussions that you have every day and should be having and we need to have those discussions all over America. I would hope that as part of the discussion and learning process that some of you will conclude that if we are striving to be moral and justice society that it is imperative that we stand with the poor and take on the powerful and wealthy people whose greed is doing this country enormous harm”.
The student behind me muttered “greed is a sin and sin is not going away by giving lazy people the fruits of my hard work. They will always want more and in reality this guy [Bernie] is the greedy one for seeking to take away what my parents worked hard for”. Despite disagreements on many subjects the majority of attendees incluing myself were impressed by his delivery and his willingess to present his ideas to a body of voters that are anything but his base supporters. So props to Bernie Sanders for going behind enemy lines to speak in front of 10,000 plus voters who will most likely vote for his or Hillary’s opponent.
