By Kamryn Anthis | Intern
While students dominated the TPUSA crowd Wednesday evening, All Are Neighbors drew predominantly faculty, staff and members of the Waco community in addition to the students in attendance.
Tensions grew high across campus regarding the opposing Turning Point USA tour, scheduled for the same night, especially after it was announced that outside members of the Baylor community would be denied entry. Baylor English professor Dr. Greg Garrett shared his personal connection to the debate from the stage.
“Two years ago, Turning Point USA named me to their professor watch list, proclaiming me a dangerous radical here to indoctrinate students, which tells me that there are two things they don’t understand,” Garrett said. “They don’t understand a Baylor education, and they don’t comprehend my deep faith.”
Garrett emphasized afterward that the point of the event was to love thy neighbor — even when that love is met with hate.
“One of the things I needed to be reminded of is that the people over at the Turning Point rally are not our enemies,” Garrett said. “We are called to love them.”
The speakers and organizers said they hope their message encourages members of the community to take action. The primary speaker, Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson, said that as she spoke and earned a standing ovation from the audience, her mindset was future-focused.
“I’m most excited about what happens when people leave the room, what the campus groups go on to do, what the faculty is inspired to talk about and teach about, and what all the community members are inspired to get engaged in,” Robinson said. “That I think is what started today, but doesn’t end with this meeting.”
Following the event, recently retired religion professor Dr. Blake Burleson said he saw the event as ushering in a new era of inclusion at Baylor.
“It was really one of the most religious experiences I’ve had on this campus,” Burleson said. “I taught for 38 years here, and this was one of the most wonderful, joyful events I think I’ve ever seen here.”
English professor Dr. Thomas Hanks, who’s been a member of the Baylor faculty for over 40 years, and whom students may have seen around campus sporting his cross and pride pins, said he has seen Baylor’s growth — or decay — throughout his tenure.
“Baylor has seemed to me, lately, to be growing more timid,” Hanks said. “A university cannot remain a university and be timid. Baylor has a fine tradition in Christianity and in Baptists. Neither Christians nor Baptists were ever renowned for timidity.”
Many speakers throughout the night addressed the Baylor administration’s role in shaping the campus political climate. Hanks addressed the trends he’s observed over the past few years.
“I don’t know that Baylor is backing down and shutting up, but I fear that it is,” Hanks said.
Hanks said he supports All Are Neighbors speakers and organizers for their passion for unity across campus.
“In spite of being made in God’s image, God leaves us the free choice to express that image as we choose,” Hanks said. “And a university is supposed to show us the different ways of looking for that image in ourselves and in each other.”
Speakers at the event offered their advice to young college students who find themselves lost in the world’s political climate. Interfaith Alliance President and CEO Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush directed his speech to the students in the crowd.
“Young people in America have so much curiosity, so much energy, and I just invite you to take advantage of that at a place like Baylor, where there are diverse people all around you, and the opportunity is here to learn from one another,” Raushenbush said.
While students dominated TPUSA’s event, All Are Neighbors drew in an older crowd. Still, many students, faculty, staff and members of the greater Waco community came to the Cashion Academic Center for the alternative event.
