Dozens of incoming University of Michigan Medical School (UMMS) students stood up during a White Coat Ceremony and walked out. Some parents joined them in their protest. The future doctors of America left the auditorium as the keynote speaker began her speech. Why? Because she is pro-life and the students didn’t want her as their speaker.

Some future doctors of America are quite intolerant of opposing viewpoints, it seems. At least the medical students at UMMS. Granted, institutions of higher learning have been under the control of liberals and progressives for decades. However, most colleges and universities claim to be tolerant of all, right? That open-minded attitude only goes so far, as any conservative on a college campus can tell you. It’s been several decades since I was in college and I still remember the feeling of realizing I was probably the only Republican in a class filled with Democrats. Diversity does not extend to political philosophy.

When Dr. Kirstin Collier, assistant professor of medicine at UMMS, was announced as the keynote speaker for the White Coat Ceremony, students petitioned the university to get her removed. To his credit, the school’s dean, Dr. Marschall Runge, denied their request.

Writing in the petition, they said: ‘While we support the rights of freedom of speech and religion, an anti-choice speaker as a representative of the University of Michigan undermines the University’s position on abortion and supports the non-universal, theology-rooted platform to restrict abortion access, an essential part of medical care.

‘This is not simply a disagreement on personal opinion; through our demand we are standing up in solidarity against groups who are trying to take away human rights and restrict medical care.

‘We demand that UM stands in solidarity with us and selects a speaker whose values align with institutional policies, students, and the broader medical community.

‘This speaker should inspire the next generation of healthcare providers to be courageous advocates for patient autonomy and our communities.’

The intolerant students claim that 100 new students signed the document, as did 248 current pupils.

Dr. Collier showed grace under pressure and continued on with her speech as the walk-out by the students and some parents began. Some members of the audience clapped as Dr. Collier began her speech. She ignored the walk-out and said she was honored to be chose as the speaker.

Incoming medical students walk out at University of Michigan’s white coat ceremony as the keynote speaker is openly anti-abortion pic.twitter.com/Is7KmVV811

— Scorpiio (@PEScorpiio) July 24, 2022

Collier is Director of the University of Michigan Medical School Program on Health Spirituality & Religion. It’s not a secret that she is pro-life. Her social media posts reflect that and it is one of the reasons cited by the protesters for the demand that she not speak. Her tweets on that day reflect her happiness in being a speaker.

maize and blue for today’s @UMichMedAdmiss white coat ceremony #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/HRVn7AVXxJ

— Kristin Collier (@KristinCollie20) July 24, 2022

truly grateful for the support, emails, texts, prayers and letters I’ve received from all over the world regarding the event that will happen today. i feel so bolstered by it. and for my team that have carried me daily thru this —I love you

— Kristin Collier (@KristinCollie20) July 24, 2022

let’s go pic.twitter.com/25tKkufe7m

— Kristin Collier (@KristinCollie20) July 24, 2022

And this tweet posted afterwards. If you can spare a little time, her speech is worth listening to. It starts at the 1:45:50 mark.

If you're reacting to the tweet video of @UMich students walking out from @KristinCollie20, please take the time to watch her speech starting at 1:45:50 here, and ask, "Is this what we want to prevent being said in medical education?" https://t.co/QJYbgK0IUd

— Warren Kinghorn (@WarrenKinghorn) July 25, 2022

She broadly referenced her pro-life opinions in her speech as she began, though it would not be a speech I’d consider political in nature.

‘I want to acknowledge the deep wounds our community has suffered over the past several weeks. We have a great deal of work to do for healing to occur.

‘And I hope that for today, for this time, we can focus on what matters most: coming together to support our newly accepted students and their families with the goal of welcoming them into one of the greatest vocations that exist on this earth.’

Those remarks received applause from the audience. I didn’t hear any booing.

Abortion is legal in Michigan, for now. Michigan Medicine, the University of Michigan-owned center, continues to provide abortion services. Governor Gretchen Whitmer filed a motion to strike a 1931 state law.

Democrat Whitmer is seeking to bypass lower courts and asking the Michigan Supreme Court to strike down Michigan’s 1931 law as violating Michigan’s state constitution.

The 1931 law criminalizes abortions not performed to save the life of the pregnant person.

The dean of the school, Dr. Runge, has the right idea, which is refreshing in academia today. He said he rejected the student petition because of the ‘critical importance of diversity of personal thought and ideas, which is foundational to academic freedom and excellence.’ It’s good to know that at least he is out there standing against the demand of groupthink on college campuses.