By Brandon Fey, Staff Writer
Maryland Governor Wes Moore visited Gettysburg College for a lecture at 7 p.m. on Nov. 1. The purpose of his visit was to speak about the younger generation’s potential to make a meaningful impact on America’s political future. His lecture was entitled “More than Waving a Flag: Redefining American Identity in a Gen-Z World” and was hosted by the Eisenhower Institute (EI) in the College Union Building Ballroom.
Students, faculty and members of the college community attended the event, which was initiated by President Bob Iuliano. He emphasized the importance of taking education and putting it to good use in service to others. He welcomed the Governor back to the campus and praised his political accomplishments, which Iuliano deemed as “consequential work.”
Director of the EI Tracie Potts introduced the goals of the Eisenhower Institute in preparing young leaders to tackle society’s challenges, inspired by President Eisenhower’s approach of finding common ground between diverse people and groups.
Governor Moore was then introduced by his long-time friend and colleague, Chesapeake Realty Partners Co-chairman and Chief Operations Officer John Fidler, who spoke about Moore’s extensive background of service, including his time in the 82nd airborne and as a White House Fellow. He introduced Moore as the author of three best-selling books, the leader of one of the nation’s most innovative anti-poverty organizations and the unlikely winner of the race to be the 63rd Governor of Maryland.
Governor Moore began his lecture with an expression of gratitude for the opportunity to return to Gettysburg College. He shared some fond memories of playing football here during his time at Johns Hopkins University.
He then reflected on his improbable journey to the Governor’s mansion, highlighting his early experiences as a son of an immigrant single mother and his personal connection to issues of inequity. He recounted early memories of a failing system, feeling unsafe and losing his father at a young age after he had been sent away from a hospital due to assumptions about his lack of insurance. He then discussed his vow to always remember his past and fight for the right reasons, to improve existing systems and to challenge existing structures.
Moore then stated that he believes that Generation Z is actively working to fix broken systems and institutions, rather than simply being cynical or giving up on society. He urged the students of the audience to join this effort and work within the system to create meaningful change. He particularly emphasized the need to address systemic root causes for issues such as poverty and insecurity, rather than just cleaning up the debris.
On this point, he stated, “We have a deep knowledge of the mistakes that we have made, and we have a deep understanding on how to fix them. The question we then need to summon is do we have a larger will?”
As a testament to this bold claim, Moore highlighted Maryland’s success in reducing the unemployment rate while simultaneously raising the minimum wage.
In further discussion of policy efforts, Moore stressed the importance of balancing individual rights with public safety, citing examples of gun control measures and environmental protection legislation. He was also proud to mention his “Service Maryland” program, which offers a paid year of service opportunities to high school graduates in his state. Moore argued that service and institutional fixation can save people from spiraling into further division and disillusionment.
Moore spoke of the value of future leaders who will maintain a commitment to their values and purpose and who will have the courage to question systems and love their country while acknowledging its flaws. He referenced historical examples such as Robert Kennedy’s call to end the conflict in Vietnam in defiance of an administration of his own party.
From his military experience, Moore learned skills in working with a diverse group for a common purpose. Similar to Eisenhower’s method, Moore discussed the need for people to leave their comfort zones and engage in conversations with those from different backgrounds and perspectives. He declared internal conflicts to be the greatest issue facing the United States.
He stressed the importance of building trust and confidence in government, even though many times it may appear to be “broken” or “irreparable.” He reasoned that this optimistic goal requires uncommon coalitions and conversations to address the nation’s challenges.
“I’ll just simply ask you this. There’s two responses we can take: we can add to the echoing chamber, or we can silence it. We can scream into the wind, or we can figure out a way to change the temperature,” Moore said.
After Moore’s speech concluded, the event shifted to a question-and-answer format led by Tracie Potts. Audience members submitted questions online, which Potts then presented to Moore.
Governor Wes Moore and EI Director Tracie Potts. (Photo Office of Governor Wes Moore)
During the question-and-answer session, Moore had the opportunity to discuss the difficulty he has encountered in passing gun control legislation despite the prevalence of gun violence in Baltimore. This led to further discussion about the importance of addressing mental health and trauma in the community.
Moore was also presented with questions about congressional district gerrymandering, to which he responded with his mission to fairly represent marginalized voting communities. He claimed that he believes there to be one, or possibly two, competitive seats in the entire state. He stated that gerrymandering has a negative impact on democracy and discussed the potential for individual states to lead the way in correcting it.
Also among Moore’s innovative new vision for the state is his campaign to wire the entire state with broadband and Wi-Fi by the end of his first term to support new industries and improve access to government services. He emphasized that bipartisanship is crucial in achieving his goals for Maryland, including investing in offshore wind and solar technologies to make the state a leader in clean energy.
He also reassured the audience with several submitted questions that the Baltimore Orioles will remain in Camden Yards for at least 30 more years, with a new long-term lease agreement. While he is excited about the potential of the Orioles in upcoming seasons, he also talked about the need to create a positive impact on the surrounding Baltimore community, hoping the city can win both on and off the field.
Governor Moore ended the evening with a final thanks and call to action: “Thank you for having me back here on campus and I’m really looking forward to seeing you more and more for this conversation that is about to happen. So bless you all.”
