Glover urges students to be active in community
"As a citizen, I feel that I am of service," Glover said. "I can't say that I am divorced from particular situations that happen in my community. I do not advocate my responsibility as a citizen first because I have some visibility as an artist."
He also underscored the importance of education in a dynamic and improving society, stating his desire to "make quality education a civil right."
The message seemed to resonate. Junior Elizabeth Caudle, although unfamiliar with Glover's philosophy before the event, was impressed.
"I thought it was very good," she said. "I thought he brought up a lot of interesting points."
Students who attended the event seemed unaware of Glover's politics, but were eager to hear what the actor had to say. Despite continuing public debate about the role that celebrities should play on the political stage, attendees largely agreed that they appreciate the interest of Hollywood in political matters.
"I guess if you have the power to make people listen to you, and you have something to say, you might as well take advantage of it," sophomore Nicole Pangborn said.
Sophomore Colleen Konsavage agreed: "You see the characters in movies. You don't actually see the actors per se, so it's just nice to see that the actors have opinions too."
Students attended with an open mind.
"I want to hear what he has to say," freshman Christian Honorè said.
Junior Jon Bernhardt, Programming Chair for MSE, said, "Mr. Glover is here to answer everyone's questions … We're hoping tonight to clear the cloud people may have about Danny Glover. Hopefully by the end of tonight people will have a clear vision of who Danny Glover is and why he does the things he does."
Glover's visit was part of a three-day MSE event called "Triple Play," which also hosted Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and DNC Chairman Howard Dean. The theme for this year's symposium is "Renewing American Culture: The Perspectives that Shape our Identity." According to Bernhardt, the popular speaker series seeks to highlight a broad range of perspectives that impact American culture and policy.
As a film star, Glover is best known for his roles in movies such as The Color Purple and the Lethal Weapon series. In recent years, however, his focus has been redirected towards socio-political activism. He was appointed a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Program in 1998, and has received criticism in the media for his friendship with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. His most recent project is a Venezuelan-financed film about the Haitian slave uprising in the late 1700s.
He also underscored the importance of education in a dynamic and improving society, stating his desire to "make quality education a civil right."
The message seemed to resonate. Junior Elizabeth Caudle, although unfamiliar with Glover's philosophy before the event, was impressed.
"I thought it was very good," she said. "I thought he brought up a lot of interesting points."
Students who attended the event seemed unaware of Glover's politics, but were eager to hear what the actor had to say. Despite continuing public debate about the role that celebrities should play on the political stage, attendees largely agreed that they appreciate the interest of Hollywood in political matters.
"I guess if you have the power to make people listen to you, and you have something to say, you might as well take advantage of it," sophomore Nicole Pangborn said.
Sophomore Colleen Konsavage agreed: "You see the characters in movies. You don't actually see the actors per se, so it's just nice to see that the actors have opinions too."
Students attended with an open mind.
"I want to hear what he has to say," freshman Christian Honorè said.
Junior Jon Bernhardt, Programming Chair for MSE, said, "Mr. Glover is here to answer everyone's questions … We're hoping tonight to clear the cloud people may have about Danny Glover. Hopefully by the end of tonight people will have a clear vision of who Danny Glover is and why he does the things he does."
Glover's visit was part of a three-day MSE event called "Triple Play," which also hosted Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and DNC Chairman Howard Dean. The theme for this year's symposium is "Renewing American Culture: The Perspectives that Shape our Identity." According to Bernhardt, the popular speaker series seeks to highlight a broad range of perspectives that impact American culture and policy.
As a film star, Glover is best known for his roles in movies such as The Color Purple and the Lethal Weapon series. In recent years, however, his focus has been redirected towards socio-political activism. He was appointed a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Program in 1998, and has received criticism in the media for his friendship with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. His most recent project is a Venezuelan-financed film about the Haitian slave uprising in the late 1700s.
Be the first to comment on this story