October 21, 2024
Dear Fellow Gettysburgians,
As the calendar approaches November, we are now days away from the election of the next president of the United States. It’s an election in which the candidates offer profoundly different views of where America is and where it should go. It’s also an election that has both reflected and contributed to the polarization that is increasingly defining our politics and beyond. We see it in the political ads and commentary that are saturating the traditional and social media in our swing state of Pennsylvania.
We know that the candidates can inspire very strong emotions in their followers and critics. Please resist any instinct to transfer those emotions to members of our community—and to other voters more generally—who may be inclined to vote differently than you.
This is not an abstraction. A member of our community recently received media attention for something that member briefly reposted on a private social media account. The reposted image spoke in categorical and inappropriate ways about supporters of one of the candidates. It has undoubtedly resulted in some students, parents, alumni, employees, and others wondering whether their views, their sincere hopes for the country, and in some cases they themselves, are welcome at the College.
The sentiments expressed in the repost do not reflect the view of our College. Members of our community represent a wide range of opinion on many matters, and we welcome people from all perspectives, identities, beliefs, and backgrounds. We have no litmus test for political affiliation or belief.
And so, as we approach the presidential election, I write today to ask three things of our community.
First, if you are eligible to vote, please vote. As the College’s mission statement underscores, one of our central educational objectives is “to enable students to realize their full potential for responsible citizenship.” No act is more fundamental to responsible citizenship than the exercise of the franchise. Whatever your ideological views, one way to have your voice heard—to channel the intense emotions you may be feeling about the election—is by the choices you make on the ballot. If you intend to vote in Pennsylvania, please note that today is the last day to register.
Second, although all of our plates are overflowing, please find time to learn about the candidates—their policy positions, their prior decisions, their approach to leadership, how you believe they will guide the future of the country. Elections matter: they shape policies that can profoundly affect our lives. A fundamental aspect of a Gettysburg education is to think critically and independently, to make decisions based on an assessment of the available facts. Responsible citizenship asks that we apply the same rigor when voting as we do to our scholarship.
Finally, let’s treat one another with the grace, respect for difference, and goodwill that has long been a hallmark of this community.
At this year’s Opening Convocation, I noted that a “great education starts with a genuine openness to other points of view, a willingness to see the world through another’s eyes.” If you find yourself with someone whose political views you can’t understand, don’t leap to judgment. Rather, stop, listen, and seek to understand. Earlier this year, we launched our Conversations for Change initiative precisely to encourage and hone our ability to speak across difference effectively. If you haven’t yet got involved, please consider doing so.
I speak often about the special responsibilities placed on us, given the history of the land on which our College is located. As we navigate what is likely to be a period of heightened intensity on campus and in society, let our actions be guided by a commitment to advance those responsibilities.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Bob Iuliano
President