Southern Utah University officials have made an excellent choice for the 2023 commencement speaker, yet some students aren’t happy.
On March 16, it was announced that Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, a religious leader for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and a former president of Brigham Young University, would be the keynote speaker at the SUU graduation ceremony April 28.
Holland is an excellent choice of speaker for this event as he has an extensive background in education along with roots in southern Utah. Holland served as the ninth president of BYU from 1980 to 1989 and was born in St. George having started his college education at Dixie Junior College.
However, this announcement was followed by backlash from many SUU students who have misinterpreted some of Holland’s previous statements as an opposition to LGBTQ individuals.
During a 2021 talk given at BYU, Holland stated BYU must embrace its uniqueness which means upholding the views and teachings of the the church.
The church’s doctrine teaches same-sex attraction is not a sinful thing, and people who experience same-sex attraction are welcomed and accepted into the church.
However, the church also teaches, “Sexual relations are reserved for a man and woman who are married and promise complete loyalty to each other.”
Holland currently serves as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for the church, and it is his job to uphold and spread the teachings of the faith he is a part of. That means Holland was simply doing his job as church leader when he said what he did.
There are many different religions in this world, and they each have varying beliefs. However, for the members of each religion, it would be untrue to their beliefs if they were to change the way they looked at certain topics to match the views of the rest of the world.
Holland has always been consistent in his views and upheld his beliefs as they align with the church. It would be untrue of him to change his views due to the pressure of people outside his religion.
With that being said, nobody should be discriminated against or bashed on for their sexual orientation or anything similar, but this is where people have misunderstood Holland’s previous statements.
In the 2021 talk previously mentioned, Holland chose to use words and analogies such as “musket fire” and “defend” when referencing the church’s views on the LGBTQ community. This caused many people within the community to view his statements as offensive and prejudicial.
I can’t claim to understand the trials and prejudice everyone has faced; however, Holland was simply defending his church and urging members within it to uphold their beliefs.
Apart from the controversy surrounding Holland’s views, he has a large amount of experience in education which makes him a great choice to speak at a college commencement. Like previously mentioned, Holland served as the president of BYU for nine years after earning a Ph.D. in American Studies at Yale University. He also served in various roles including:
- President of the American Association of Presidents of Independent Colleges and Universities
- Board member of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
- Member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s President’s Commission.
Religion is one of the protected freedoms we have in the United States. Nobody should be persecuted for what they believe as long as they treat everyone fairly. Holland was chosen as a speaker because of his extensive background in education, and he should not be unwelcomed because of his beliefs. Having someone as experienced as Holland will positively impact graduates if they are willing to listen to what he has to say.
Everyone has varying beliefs, and everyone is entitled to those beliefs as long as they are accepting and kind to others. Holland has always promoted inclusion and kindness. I am looking forward to what Holland has to say, and I encourage everyone to have an open mind and accept the people around them regardless of what they believe.
