SJU Aghast at Students Pro-Trump Chant

Last weekend, some SJU students chanted "Build the wall," while riding on the Benny Bus.

The horror.

Such behavior cannot stand without school commentary, and that is exactly what happened:

Dear CSB and SJU Students, Faculty and Staff,           

We write in response to the incident on The Link bus this past weekend, in which students chanted, “Build that wall.”  

These actions sadden and disappoint us. This behavior on The Link does not meet the expectations we have of each other and does not fit our community norms or reflect our Benedictine values. We are better than this as a community.   

There is no doubt that the political world beyond our campuses is fraught with tensions and division, but it is our hope and belief that CSB and SJU can offer a model for civil discourse and be a place where we can freely exchange ideas and challenge each other in ways that make us all more open to and understanding of each other. 

The very nature of our academic institutions is built on the free exchange of ideas.  Yet at the same time we are Benedictine and Catholic institutions in which we have commitments to the community and the individuals that make it up.  We believe as a community that there are more responsible ways to exercise the freedom of expression we have as individuals.   

We continue to seek ways to build the kind of community we want CSB and SJU to be. We will seek and rely on your work to help us.  

Sincerely,  
Mary Dana Hinton, Ph.D.                           Michael Hemesath, Ph.D. 
President                                                       President 

College of Saint Benedict                            Saint John’s University


In reading the comments on Facebook, you might have thought these students had committed mass murder, and that this was prima facie evidence of the racism rampant at SJU.  Another day, another reason for liberals to be "outraged."

I wonder if the students had chanted something else, say something supportive of Planned Parenthood and their abortion practices, what the administration would have done.

Quick answer - as a "Benedictine and a Catholic" institution they would have done nothing, and that tells you everything you need to know about this situation.