{"id":2242364,"date":"2024-05-11T11:35:02","date_gmt":"2024-05-11T15:35:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/riley-gaines-calls-out-college-administrator-for-making-cowardly-gesture-behind-her-during-commencement-speech\/"},"modified":"2024-05-11T11:37:54","modified_gmt":"2024-05-11T15:37:54","slug":"riley-gaines-calls-out-college-administrator-for-making-cowardly-gesture-behind-her-during-commencement-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/riley-gaines-calls-out-college-administrator-for-making-cowardly-gesture-behind-her-during-commencement-speech\/","title":{"rendered":"Riley Gaines Criticizes College Administrator for &#8216;Cowardly&#8217; Act During Graduation Speech"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Friley-gaines-calls-out-college-administrator-for-making-cowardly-gesture-behind-her-during-commencement-speech%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2242364&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The summary discusses Riley Gaines, a prominent sports figure opposed to\u200d transgender athletes in women&#8217;s sports, who called out an\u200b administrator during her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-biden-mocked-trump-last-september-i-run-up-ramps-he-stumbles-down-ramps\/\" title=\"WATCH: Biden Mocked Trump Last September: \u2018I Run Up Ramps\u2019 He \u2018Stumbles Down Ramps\u2019\">commencement speech<\/a> for cowardly behavior.\u2064 Gaines courageously stood for \u200cwomen&#8217;s\u200d rights despite adversity. The administrator draped himself in a trans\u200d flag but removed it when Gaines wasn&#8217;t looking, sparking\u2062 online discussions on cowardice and courage.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<header> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/commentary\/\">  Commentary <\/a>   <span> <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/remmanuel\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<p> <span>   By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/remmanuel\/%20\"><span>Rachel M. Emmanuel<\/span><\/a> <\/span> <span>   May 11, 2024 at 7:19am <\/span> <\/span>  <\/header>\n<section>\n<p>History is full of heroes who have been willing to die for what they believe. From Christian martyrs to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/leaked-audio-of-joe-biden-telling-black-civil-rights-leaders-he-wont-go-all-in-on-executive-orders-to-appease-the-far-left-infuriates-progressives\/\" title=\"Leaked Audio of Joe Biden Telling Black Civil Rights Leaders He Won\u2019t Go All in on Executive Orders to Appease the Far Left Infuriates Progressives\">civil rights leaders<\/a>, those who believe strongly enough about their cause are not afraid to speak out boldly in full view of their enemies and face whatever consequences their actions may bring.<\/p>\n<p>But what we have witnessed lately on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/iranian-professor-makes-frightening-prediction-anti-israel-protesters-college-campuses-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">college campuses<\/a> are crowds of protesters hiding behind masks and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/new-anti-semitism-bill-generations-patriot-act-sounds-great-horrific-practice\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">keffiyehs<\/a>, revealing that today, modern leftists are only brave as long as no one can see them.<\/p>\n<p>On Sunday, one trans-activist showed the same lack of character during a commencement address by former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines at Adrian College in Michigan, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/news\/article-13405255\/Riley-Gaines-commencement-speech-trans-flag.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">according to The Daily Mail. <\/a><\/p>\n<p>The choice of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/riley-gaines-others-launch-lawsuit-ncaa-woke-policies-spread\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gaines<\/a> as speaker sparked controversy, as she has become a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-tucker-and-kristi-noem-clash-after-she-changes-mind-on-signing-bill-protecting-girls-sports\/\" title=\"WATCH: Tucker And Kristi Noem Clash After She Changes Mind On Signing Bill Protecting Girls\u2019 Sports\">national figure<\/a> for her outspoken opposition to men who identify as women competing in women\u2019s sports, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/media\/college-president-defends-activist-riley-gaines-being-commencement-speaker-students-should-challenged\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">according to Fox News. <\/a><\/p>\n<p>During Gaines\u2019 commencement speech, one administrator decided to protest by draping himself in a trans flag \u2014 but only when Riley wasn\u2019t looking.<\/p>\n<p>Gaines took to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/taylor-swifts-feud-star-explodes-huge-change-social-media-follows-new-album-release-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-this-average-american-is-voting-for-donald-trump\/\" title=\"Why This Average American Is Voting for Donald Trump\">social media<\/a><\/a> to call out the cowardly actions of the unidentified administrator, who draped a transgender flag over his shoulders as Gaines took the podium, only to remove it before she turned back around after her speech concluded.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI just watched back my commencement speech at Adrian College,\u201d Gaines wrote.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn truly cowardly fashion, the administrator behind me cloaked himself in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/gender-neutral-santa-emoji-trans-flag-emoji-coming-2020\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">trans flag<\/a> only after I got to the podium and removed it before I turned back around to see. Nonetheless, I got a standing ovation from the graduates and friends + families in attendance. Thanks to Adrian College for the invitation!\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<div id=\"firefly-poll-container\">\n<p>Do you support Riley Gaines?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Social media users had some choice words for the \u201cbrave\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/stop-calling-pro-palestinian-protesters-anti-american-insurgents\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">protester<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe coward couldn\u2019t even oppose you directly, he had to do it behind your back, in \u201csecret.\u201d What a looooooooser,\u201d one commenter wrote.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">The coward couldn\u2019t even oppose you directly, he had to do it behind your back, in \u201csecret\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23<\/p>\n<p>What a looooooooser.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Liberty Belle (@iLibertyBelle) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iLibertyBelle\/status\/1789045074057150729?\">May 10, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cWhat a pathetic coward he is! Couldn\u2019t even do it to your face, what a freaking joke!\u2019 another comment read.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">what a pathetic coward he is! Couldn\u2019t even do it to your face, what a freaking joke!<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Woke Moments (@WokeMoments) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WokeMoments\/status\/1789059919288676437?\">May 10, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cA pathetic coward he is then. What a vile piece of work. A man who chooses to fight for the right for men to crush women in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/massive-transgender-athletes-banned-womens-sports-naia-major-blow-lgbt\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">women\u2019s sport<\/a>, but he hasn\u2019t the courage to do it to your face. Despicable,\u201d another comment read.<\/p>\n<p>The speech Gaines gave pointed to the very characteristics this administrator sadly lacked.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Mn6veRX--KE?si=OEaE297saNM77R2x&#038;start=1875\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><br \/>  \u201cI chose to be courageous,\u201d Gaines said, speaking of her fight for the protection of women\u2019s rights in sports.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCourage is a virtue that\u2019s often misunderstood \u2014 commonly being conflated with fearlessness,\u201d she continued. \u201cBut make no mistake: These words are not synonymous, and they\u2019re not interchangeable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBeing fearless means you lack fear. But being courageous is quite the opposite.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHaving courage means you\u2019re willing to do the right, fair, just and moral thing, despite the fears that you face. It is the strength to confront adversity, and to pursue your dreams with unwavering determination,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>The students of Adrian College did not just get a speech about courage and moral fortitude during their commencement \u2014 they saw it displayed before their eyes.<\/p>\n<p>On the one hand, they witnessed a young woman who put her entire career on the line to fight for the rights of other girls to have a chance to achieve their dreams.<\/p>\n<p>And, on the other hand, they saw a coward wrapping himself in self-righteous virtue-signaling while making sure he wasn\u2019t seen.<\/p>\n<p>Thanks to the cowardly protester, Gaines\u2019 speech may have had far more impact on the graduates\u00a0than her words could ever have conveyed.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<div>\n<p><b><i>A Note from Our Deputy Managing Editor:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><i><span>\u201cWe don\u2019t even know if an election will be held in 2024.\u201d Those 12 words have been stuck in my head since I first read them. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Former Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn recently made that comment to Floyd Brown, founder of The Western Journal. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>And if the leftists and the elites get their way, that\u2019s exactly what will happen \u2014 no real election, no real choice for the Electoral College, and no real say for the American people. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>The Western Journal is fighting to keep that from happening, but we can\u2019t do it alone.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>We work tirelessly to expose the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-rep-anna-paulina-luna-scolds-dems-waving-ukrainian-flags-after-vote-put-those-damn-flags-away\/\" title=\"Video: Rep. Anna Paulina Luna Criticizes Democrats Waving Ukrainian Flags - 'Remove Those Flags!\">lying leftist media<\/a> and the corrupt America-hating elites.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>But Big Tech\u2019s stranglehold is now so tight that <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>without help<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>  from you, we will not be able to continue the fight. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>The 2024 election is literally the most important election for every living American. We have to unite and fight for our country, otherwise we will lose it. And if we lose the America we love in 2024, we\u2019ll lose it for good. Can we <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>count on you<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>  to help? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>With you we will be able to field journalists, do more investigative work, expose more corruption, and get desperately needed truth to millions of Americans. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>We can do this only with your help. Please don\u2019t wait one minute.<\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>  Donate right now<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Thank you for reading,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Josh Manning<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Deputy Managing Editor<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>P.S. Please <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>stand with us<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>  today.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"author-info-45763\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/remmanuel\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<div>\n<p><label for=\"summary-tab-radio-45763\">Summary<\/label><label for=\"more-info-tab-radio-45763\">More<span> Biographical Information<\/span><\/label><label for=\"posts-tab-radio-45763\">Recent<span> Posts<\/span><\/label><label for=\"contact-tab-radio-45763\" onclick=\"if( typeof grecaptcha=='undefined' ) { let cap_s=document.createElement( 'script' ); cap_s.src='https:\/\/www.google.com\/recaptcha\/api.js?render=6LeJFcsUAAAAAPsIEqvB1EebWbZfqRUe6ebMpGy7'; document.body.appendChild( cap_s ); }\">Contact<\/label><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Rachel Emmanuel has served as the director of content on a Republican congressional campaign and writes content for a popular conservative book franchise.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>  Rachel M. Emmanuel has served as the Director of Content on a Republican Congressional campaign and writes for a popular Conservative book franchise. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Commentary by Rachel M. Emmanuel on May 11, 2024, at 7:19 am: Throughout history, brave individuals, from Christian martyrs to civil rights activists, have fearlessly stood up for their beliefs, unafraid to confront their adversaries openly. They embody the courage to advocate for their convictions, even in the face of danger<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2329,"featured_media":2242365,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Riley-Gaines-commencement-address-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2242364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Riley-Gaines-commencement-address-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2242364","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2329"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2242364"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2242364\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2242365"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2242364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2242364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2242364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}