Eastern Michigan University students had a variety of opinions about President Barack Obama’s inauguration and speech Monday in Washington D.C.
EMU student Melissa Strates attended the inauguration and greatly enjoyed the experience.
“It was a really exciting time, just being in the atmosphere and experiencing history,” she said. “I actually got to see him walking down Pennsylvania Avenue. I had never felt so proud to be an American. He talked about the future, education and how it’s important we come together in light of the things that have been happening around the country.”
EMU junior Vanessa Farrugia was happy with Obama’s speech.
“I think he’s a better public speaker than he was four years ago,” she said. “He even mentioned gay marriage and the climate change. They are definitely controversial topics that he brought up, but they needed to be brought up because everyone has ignored them until now.”
EMU senior Erin Gray said, “I do not really agree with gay marriages because of my beliefs, but I also believe everyone is entitled to do whatever.”
Tommy Katrivesis, on the other hand, was not impressed.
“Whatever the most popular issue is as far as the people are concerned, he says he supports it, even if it goes against his background,” he said.
Jonathan Pan, a criminology major at EMU, said, “He’s putting the United States in a lot of debt, and he’s not doing anything to get us out of it.”
