Last Wednesday evening, more than 500 people filled Cofrin Family Hall at The Weidner Center to see former Congressman Adam Kinzinger for the “Understanding the Constitution” lecture series presented by the UW-Green Bay Political Science program and supported through a grant from the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation.
Dubbed “The Last Republican,” Kinzinger has quickly become known for his opposition to 47th President Donald Trump, despite being a member of the Republican Party.
If you want to learn more about Kinzinger, you can read up on him at this link. But I am not here to discuss the adversity, hardship, and newfound acceptance he experienced between political parties.
I’m here to talk about hope.
I would be lying to you if I said I wasn’t apprehensive about Kinzinger coming to campus (and, as he mentioned several times throughout his night in Green Bay, honesty is the most important quality to have – in office and anywhere). Nowadays, when someone mentions they align with the political party opposite of yours, we’re quick to put up walls and make assumptions. While I know it’s crucial to have discourse with people who don’t hold the same beliefs as you, those conversations have been few and far between for me.
But it was those few friends I know I can call upon to have those discussions that pushed me to come in to the event with an open mind. And Kinzinger left me pleasantly surprised.
Throughout the entire evening, he never once slammed someone for being a Republican, Democrat, or Independent. He criticized those currently in office, and some who worked alongside him in the January 6 Committee. But he never made anyone in the audience to feel like their political affiliation was wrong – differing viewpoints are critical to democracy.
Instead, he discussed the importance of serving the People. The importance of helping other countries. The importance of doing what is right versus what is self-serving. The importance on reflecting what the United States’ duty is.
The Trump Administration has been back in office for less than two months, and in that short span of time, many Americans have felt immense fear, exhaustion, and outrage.
What Adam Kinzinger did last week was honorable. He was brutally honest with his audience and didn’t shy away from admitting the hardships we will face over the next four years.
But he also showed the light at the end of the tunnel to so many who thought it had gone dark. That Trump’s time in office is temporary, and that a better future will come. He shared the power in unity, finding common ground, and demanding more from our congressmen.
In the 90 minutes that he was onstage, it wasn’t about whether you were a Republican or a Democrat – titles that have wound up becoming our entire identities within the last 5-10 years. It was about taking the burden off our shoulders of thinking we individually have to save the country, and putting in the collective work for a better future for America.
I share my thoughts about this evening with you not to try and make you feel a certain way, but to remind you that there is a better United States on the horizon – regardless of your political affiliation. It’s important to remain informed, but we must replace despair with hope. When everything else feels broken, we owe ourselves that.
Rachel Sankey is the engagement coordinator for the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at UW-Green Bay.
An alumna of the college, Rachel graduated in Fall 2021 with a BFA in Writing & Applied Arts and a BA in English-Creative writing.
