Views expressed in opinion columns are the author’s own.
Since when did loving your country mean having to sign a loyalty pledge to the person sitting in the Oval Office?
Recently, I’ve noticed “patriotism” has become rebranded to mean loyalty to one political party, emphasizing affiliation over country. The Trump administration’s new compact for exclusive funding for certain universities is the clearest and most unsettling example yet.
What seems like a harmless monetary offer to nine U.S. universities actually gives priority funding if a university pledges to follow all “institutional neutrality” standards set by the federal government. These standards include banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs, limiting international student enrollment and forcing universities to stay neutral on social issues. It’s a policy that would silence faculty and student perspectives and punish schools for acknowledging inequality.
Most universities declined to sign the compact, but it sets a dangerous precedent.
If the compact ever came to the University of Maryland, which president Darryll Pines previously stated it has not yet, the university should reject it without hesitation and reaffirm that its only allegiance is to the truth, not to any president. I encourage students to use their voice and call on the Student Government Association and University Senate to pass resolutions to reject any government attempt to interfere with the curriculum, making it clear that this university will never subvert its own community for the sake of compliance.
In April, the University Senate voted in favor of joining a mutual defense compact with other Big Ten universities to protect attacks on higher education. That compact was designed to create a coalition that would defend each other in the event of overreaching federal interference. This is a good step in the right direction for the student body at Maryland, as it signals the university community would not shy away from confronting the government, especially as polarization in our country continues.
The compact the Trump administration created is more than a straightforward agreement. It’s part of a rise of the ‘woke right,’ a conservative movement that tries to restrict speech with different values rather than protecting free expression for all. Those who have been criticizing “cancel culture” for years are now at the forefront of a new version of it.
Many people have been doxxing private citizens online, firing employees for criticizing right-wing figures and publicly shaming speech they don’t agree with.
After the assassination of influencer Charlie Kirk, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) condemned anyone who criticized Kirk and referred to them as “terrorists”. In a show of hypocrisy, though, Lee had mocked the murder of Minnesota Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, just months earlier in a now-deleted series of posts with jokes about their assassination.
Everyone claims to love free speech until someone uses it against them. Accountability only seems to matter when it’s the other side crossing the line. It’s the same double standard every time — it’s a problem when they do it, but not when I do it.
The compact cements that double standard in education. By setting their own standards, the government is letting higher education know that their neutrality means capitulation to the administration.
And to be completely clear, political extremism has no place in this country from either side. But the compact highlights a broader cultural threat, too.
When I was younger, I thought the American dream meant loving your neighbor and being proud to live in the United States. But these days, the term patriot has been skewed to represent one side of the political spectrum. If you have an American flag, a gun and a beer you’re automatically placed into a box. But patriotism should never be partisan.
It’s not just about loving your country. Whether you’re a Democrat, Republican or anyone in between, everyone should reject the idea that criticism of the government means disloyalty to the country. The American flag doesn’t symbolize Donald Trump, nor should it ever venerate a single individual. It flies for everyone in this country — every student, retiree and worker. For everyone who has ever struggled but has found the United States their home.
The best part about this country is its diversity. The backbone of our nation is built on the welcoming of all different voices and ideas. Our fundamental freedoms are not partisan ideas, and they should never be.
Yet, the Compact tries to take those freedoms and obscure their true meaning. Asking for loyalty in exchange for money is something no higher education institution should agree to.
From universities being asked to sign the Compact to people being fired for expressing dissent — not hate speech, but simply another view — polarization has split this country in half.
The best way to prove our loyalty to freedom is by refusing to stop questioning those in power.
Arjun Bhide is a freshman government and politics major. He can be reached at abhide1@terpmail.umd.edu.
