Andrew Collaku
PRESS CONFERENCE: On Feb. 28, Congressman Mike Quigley visited The Oracle Editorial Board, Etruscan staff, and Civic students. He discussed the importance of political activism, especially for students.
When Congressman Mike Quigley, (D-IL 5th) visited South on February 28, he didn’t just talk about politics—he also talked about perseverance, responsibility, and the power of young people to make a difference.
With over 43 years of experience in politics, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, and as a professor at the University of Chicago, Quigley has witnessed history unfold, yet he remains optimistic about the future.
Quigley, while working in politics, has traveled around the globe, visiting 54 countries and meeting
numerous world leaders. He often visited countries during crises, including Ukraine, Baghdad, Kabul, and Haiti, Quigley added.
“The world’s on fire [and is] a dangerous place right now,” Quigley said. “Would you rather be a spectator, or be in the middle of it?”
In the realm of foreign policy, Quigley advocates for positive foreign relations and supporting other countries, he said.
Furthermore, Quigley tackled many vital topics impacting high schoolers, such as opinion polarization, especially in regards to politics. Quigley advised students that no matter how much you disagree with one another, it’s important to treat others with empathy and respect.
“Seeing the world through someone else’s eyes, as angry as we are and as divided as we are, [is] the way to battle [polarization],” Quigley said. “[It] is [important] to try to understand the other person’s
point of view, even if you disagree with it.”
Quigley described his experience during Jan. 6, where he was one of the few people in the chambers of Capitol Building when it was under attack. Through his experience, Quigley believes that the best thing to do is to step up against the danger.
“You can’t let the bad guys win,” Quigley said. “You could let the bad guys run the place or you can try to replace them and do something different.”
Throughout his question and answer session with students, Quigley emphasized the importance of resilience. People will learn more in life through their failures rather than their successes, he said.
“You’re going to be measured by how you handle your setbacks more than your victories,” Quigley said. “You’re not always going to get an A. You’re not going to get into the colleges you want, [or the] job you want. It’s really how you handle [those situations] that makes an extraordinary difference.”
At the heart of Quigley’s message was a motivating call to action. He left students who attended his
visit with a final challenge.
“Do it,” Quigley said. “You can learn as much as you can, but nothing compares to doing it. Go save the world.”