In commencement speech, President Obama addresses Rutgers graduates—and also Donald Trump
"If you were listening to today's political debate, you might wonder where this strain of anti-intellectualism came from. So, Class of 2016, let me be as clear as I can be: In politics, as in life, ignorance is not a virtue."
President Barack Obama was directly addressing graduating students in his commencement speech Sunday at Rutgers University.
But his speech to the Piscataway, New Jersey crowd had another, though unmentioned, intended audience: Donald Trump.
“If the past two decades have taught us anything, it’s that the biggest challenges we face cannot be solved in isolation,” Obama said, noting that “a wall” won’t stop the rise of terrorism, disease, or economic inequality—a less than ambiguous reference to the presumptive Republican nominee’s proposal to build a Mexico border wall.
https://youtu.be/Xas7xTBXYB4?t=44m7s
“The point is, to help ourselves, we have got to help others, not pull up the drawbridge and try to keep the world out,” he said.
Obama added that “a lot of folks have legitimate concerns with the way globalization has progressed,” but that the “answer is to negotiate with other countries to raise their trade standards and environmental standards” and to promote human rights and other rules consistent with American values.
“Building walls won’t do that,” Obama said to applause from the crowd. “It won’t boost our economy, and it won’t enhance our security either.”
The president said that “isolating or disparaging Muslims” would be “not just a betrayal of our values,” but it would also “alienate the very communities at home and abroad who are our most important partners in our fight against violent extremism.”
The remarks come two days after Trump said his proposal to temporarily ban all Muslims from entering the United States was “just a suggestion.”
“Facts, evidence, reason, logic, an understanding of science: These are good things.” Obama continued, adding that it “might seem obvious” that they were desired qualities in citizens and elected officials.
“If you were listening to today’s political debate, you might wonder where this strain of anti-intellectualism came from,” he said. “So, Class of 2016, let me be as clear as I can be: In politics, as in life, ignorance is not a virtue.”
After pausing amid another round of applause and laughs, the president added: “It’s not cool to not know what you’re talking about. That’s not ‘keeping it real’ or ‘telling it like it is.’ That’s not challenging political correctness. That’s just not knowing what you’re talking about.”
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com