By Danielle Lee
On a warm February afternoon, students and alumni from the University of Montevallo gathered together in Main Quad. Armed with homemade posters and plastic kazoos, they waited.
They waited for Luke Beets, a preacher who had spoken on campus the day before. Beets came to the campus on Feb. 8 with a sign calling several groups of people to repent. In a Facebook post, Beets announced he would return to campus on Feb. 9.
Spectrum, an advocacy group for LGBTQ issues at the University of Montevallo, planned a protest in anticipation of Beets’s return.
Robin Lee Watson, president of Spectrum, addressed the crowd before Beets’s arrival. They wanted to protest to focus on queer joy, not Beets.
“Yesterday was harmful; today is about healing,” they said.
When Beets arrived, the protesters divided. Some followed Watson’s advice and celebrated, while others engaged with Beets.
Chloe Spradlin, a sophomore, drifted between both groups. She noted the number of people who had shown up to support Spectrum.
“The outpouring student body attendance was really great for the community, especially a liberal arts campus like this one,” said Spradlin.
While some students spoke with Beets about his sign and position, others gathered in the quad for a party of sorts. Abby Smith, a member of Spectrum, spent their time at the protest dancing and bonding with friends.
“This is probably the safest that I’ve felt in my life, just surrounded by people who are so supportive and protective of the community and the other students on campus… I haven’t even given a single thought to him honestly,” said Smith.
Faculty and staff even made an appearance at the protest, including Dr. John Stewart, president of the university. Stewart praised the students for exercising their right to protest.
“I was really proud to come out and see for myself what was going on and support the students’ right to have their own voice on their own campus,” said Stewart.
Some students wondered why Beets was allowed on campus in the first place. From a Constitutional standpoint, both the speaker and the protest had to be allowed; according to the American Civil Liberties Union, “restrictions on speech by public colleges and universities amount to government censorship”.
While Spradlin disagreed with Beets, they acknowledged the value of allowing him to speak on campus.
“It’s hard because this is a liberal arts campus, so I feel like this is a widely left-leaning campus… but I think it’s honestly important that you have other people of different opinions come in,” said Spradlin.
President Stewart also noted the importance of leaving the campus open to diverse speakers.
“I think we need to be a place that welcomes a wide variety of opinions, but not if they’re hurtful or extreme. Folks on our campus should welcome engaged conversation unless it’s extreme,” said Stewart.
As the protest carried on, President Stewart pointed out Montevallo’s position as a place of acceptance for many.
“I’m really proud that we’re a campus that welcomes a wide diversity of opinions and backgrounds and differences of past… I’ve had students tell me over the years that they wouldn’t have had a place to go if they didn’t come to Montevallo, and that’s a pretty special reason for us to be here,” he said.
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