After Republican South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette referred to South Carolina State University protestors as a “woke mob,” President Alexander Conyers announced the invitation for her to speak at the upcoming commencement ceremony has been rescinded.
Conyers was seen in a video posted to X, taking a stand with his students who have been protesting for two days against Evette’s selection as commencement speaker.
“What I saw yesterday, what I saw today, was college students exercising their free rights, ones that I swore to protect, ones that I served 28 years in the Army willing to give my life for. So how someone can confuse what happened, and perhaps because that person wasn’t here…,” he said to students.
“I will admit you’ve done exactly what I did some 35 years ago as a student on these same grounds.”
While admitting he can’t change what has been said on social media, Conyers said he refuses to let outsiders refer to the future of America as “thugs,” welcoming anyone in the state and country to come see for themselves.
In a statement, according to WLTX, Conyers said the school has decided “to move in a different direction” for commencement after first saying Evette was the choice based on her record as a business leader and entrepreneur, but now, it’s a safety issue, and the school will welcome Evette at a later date.
“The safety and well-being of our students, families, faculty, staff and guests will always guide our decisions,” he said.
“Commencement should remain a moment of celebration focused on our graduates and their achievements.”
The move comes after videos of protests took over social media, garnering support from fellow Palmetto State natives like Bakari Sellers, following a student overheard saying the protests are about “morality issues.”
“We’ve been here four, five years, and for commencement we should have someone who is going to celebrate us,” the student said.
“How can someone who goes against everything we stand for and believe in, morality-wise, how can that person uplift me on my day of stepping into the real world?”
While protests were taking place, Evette, who is also running for governor, was speaking out on social media, standing her ground against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives on college campuses. After learning that her invitation had been rescinded, she carried on.
“The fact that a speech had to be canceled for credible safety threats is exactly why we cannot give up the fight to end indoctrination and DEI on campuses once and for all,” Evette wrote in a statement.
“The root problem is professors who gin up feigned outrage at the detriment of their students, who they should be teaching to think critically. End tenure now!”
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