Colorado Mesa University hosted a guest lecture featuring nationally-renowned columnist Ruben Navarrette last Monday at 6 p.m. in Love Recital Hall. The event was held in honor of CMU’s Constitution Day, which recognizes the signing of the United States Constitution in 1787 and all United States citizens by birth or naturalization. Pocket-sized United States Constitutions were distributed in lieu of programs.
Navarrette’s writing makes frequent appearances in the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. He has also contributed to Fox News, USA Today and The Washington Post.
Before speaking, Navarrette met with CMU president Tim Foster as well as a few select students, including Associated Student Government President Beau Flores and The Criterion Editor in Chief Chris DeLeon. Navarrette also spoke at mass communication and political science classes the morning before the lecture.
The lecture started with an introduction by Foster. Navarrette spoke for 45 minutes, then opened up the recital hall for questions and discussion.
Navarrette’s lecture focused on opinion writing, the media, and the public’s interpretation of the U.S. Constitution. As a columnist, he said his focus is to help readers become informed and reach their own conclusions.
“My job is to take the complicated and make it simple,” Navarrette said during the lecture. “A lot of us know what we believe, but we don’t know why we believe it.”
Navarrette frequently referenced the U.S. Constitution throughout the event. He used specific phrases to defend his perspective.
“We have taken certain liberties in how we interpret the Constitution,” Navarrette said. “If we want to see something in it, we’ll see it. We read it literally when it’s convenient and get creative when it’s convenient.”
He stressed the importance of making informed decisions and staying up to date with developments in society, culture, and politics.
“You do your part: don’t turn off the TV or put down the newspaper. It’s important to understand. Don’t tune out,” Navarrette said.
A mixture of community members and CMU students were then invited to ask questions and spark discussions in the audience. Some had requests for clarification on Navarrette’s previous columns while others asked for elaboration on his stance regarding certain issues.
Immigration rights activist Dan Robinson started the question and answer portion of the event, trying to defend DACA and receiving argument from Navarrette, who claimed that DACA was “a bandaid on a bullet wound.” Robinson proceeded to argue but resigned the mic once booing broke out in the audience.
