Harvard is Defending Democracy

Why we must rally behind our nation's top university - a speech that I wrote for Harvard graduates and all who fight against fascism for VERITAS

My Fellow Democracy Defenders,

Harvard is under siege.

MAGA fascists have attacked the hallowed institution’s freedom of speech, protest, and academic inquiry. As a Harvard alum, I feel compelled to defend the world’s greatest university and bastion of democracy. Below is the speech that I would give to the Class of 2025.

VERITAS!

---

The Torch You Carry: Harvard’s Legacy and the Fight for Democracy"

Graduates of Harvard University, faculty, families, and honored guests—

Today, as you stand on the precipice of your next great journey, I want to speak to you not just as scholars, but as heirs to an extraordinary legacy. You have been shaped by the finest institution of higher learning in the world—a place where knowledge is not merely acquired but wielded, where truth is not just sought but defended. Harvard has given you more than a degree; it has given you a responsibility.

Why Harvard Stands Apart

Harvard is not just the best university in the world—it is the crucible of ideas that have shaped nations. From the halls of Widener Library to the labs of the Science Center, this institution has produced leaders who have bent the arc of history toward justice. It was here that W.E.B. Du Bois challenged the foundations of racial inequality, where John F. Kennedy honed the ideals of public service, and where Ruth Bader Ginsburg sharpened the legal arguments that would redefine equality.

But Harvard’s greatness is not measured only by its past—it is proven by its graduates. By you. And today, as you step into the world, you carry with you not just the prestige of this university, but its purpose: to defend reason, to uphold truth, and to resist the forces that seek to unravel democracy itself.

The Threat We Face

We live in a time when democracy is under siege—not by foreign armies, but by the slow corrosion of truth, the weaponization of division, and the rise of authoritarianism within our own borders. The man who once occupied the highest office in the land did not just challenge democratic norms—he sought to break them. He attacked the free press, undermined the judiciary, incited violence against the peaceful transfer of power, and continues to spread the lie that elections are rigged when he does not win.

This is not politics as usual. This is fascism in its most insidious form—wrapped in the flag, cloaked in grievance, and fueled by the erosion of trust in our institutions. And if we do not resist it, history teaches us what comes next.

Your Charge: Defend Democracy

Harvard has prepared you for this moment. You have been trained to think critically, to question dogma, to seek evidence over ideology. Now, you must use those gifts in service of something greater than yourselves.

• If you enter law, defend the rule of law—not as an abstract ideal, but as the shield that protects the vulnerable from tyranny.

• If you enter journalism, expose lies with relentless truth, for democracy dies in darkness.

• If you enter public service, govern with integrity, knowing that power unchecked is power abused.

• If you enter business or technology, build systems that empower people, not manipulate them.

• And if you enter the arts or humanities, remind the world of the stories that bind us together, for fascism thrives when we forget our shared humanity.

The Courage to Stand

Resisting authoritarianism will not be easy. You will be called radicals, elitists, troublemakers. But remember: the greatest defenders of democracy—from the abolitionists to the civil rights movement—were once dismissed as extremists. History vindicates those who stand for justice.

James Comey, a man who faced the wrath of a would-be autocrat, once said: "The truth is not just a collection of facts. It is the foundation of our democracy." Your Harvard education has armed you with the tools to defend that truth. Now, you must wield them.

A Final Charge

Class of 2025, you are the best and brightest this nation has to offer. But with that privilege comes a duty. The world needs you—not just to succeed, but to lead. Not just to prosper, but to protect. The fight for democracy is not someone else’s battle. It is yours.

So go forth with the fire of Harvard in your hearts. Be relentless in your pursuit of truth. Be fearless in your defense of freedom. And when history calls, as it surely will, answer with the courage this moment demands.

Congratulations, graduates. The world is waiting.

Thank you.