Lecture encourages students to become politically involvedAllen CollinsTNE Contributing Writer

Pete Henshaw/Contributing Photographer - John Avlon, senior editor at The Daily Beast, speaks at the 2014 Larry Adair Lectureship. His presentation focused on politics and incorporated Larry Adair's contributions to NSU.

After numerous scheduling attempts, the 2014 Larry Adair Lectureship speaker, John Avlon, senior editor at The Daily Beast, made his awaited appearance on NSU’s campus.

Avlon spoke in the Webb Building Auditorium at 2 p.m., April 18. Avlon’s lecture centered around hyper-partisanship and how it is slowing down the country’s progress.

"This is not beneficial because both sides are very set in their ways which prevents them from working together for the benefit of the country," said Annie Lindsay, 2014 Larry Adair Leadership scholar.

Avlon said he was able to get very involved in government at an early age, in a place where partisanship mattered much less.

“The emphasis was much more on how you try to unify a city, while also moving an agenda forward,” said Avlon.

A reoccuring theme of Avlon’s lecture was the need for more moderate independents in order to tackle the key issues. Avlon said we need to start thinking about unites us not what what divides us and start acting across party lines.

“A lot of people are professional partisans in the media and certainly politics,” said Avlon. “I aim straight at that and try to call it out.”

Avlon said as a result of hyper-partisanship, good young people are looking at politics and saying “why bother.”

"On an interpersonal level, it discourages people of differing ideologies to find what is common and be united to facilitate change," said Sarah Whittle, instructor of library services at NSU.

Avlon said he thinks college students need stay engaged in politics.

“In 2008, people were really excited about what happened, and they’ve seen a President that most people think is a good man blocked at every step, attacked at every step,” said Avlon. “They say well maybe this just isn’t a good way to affect change, and that’s concerning to me. It’s a process of inspiring people to remain committed to participating in the American experiment and not be discouraged by the politics of personal destruction and try to see a way past it.”

Avlon may have come to speak, but he was also able to put Larry Adair’s contributions to NSU into perspective.

“It’s an act of real generosity to stay involved in your alma mater in real direct way to try to bring speakers to campus and give scholarships,” said Avlon. “That’s an act of love and faith in the future generation and in this institution, it’s something really worth appreciating.”

Adair using his time and money to try to improve the lives of others is rare and about as much as you can ask for, said Avlon.

For more information about the Larry Adair Lectureship Series click here or for more information about John Avlon click here.