Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales took the Benson stage on Thursday, Sept. 7 to discuss his time in the White House and his new book, \u201cA Conservative and Compassionate Approach to Immigration Reform: Perspectives from a Former US Attorney General.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gonzales, the first speaker in the 2017-2018 American Studies Institute (ASI) Distinguished Lecture Series, was led in discussion by President Bruce McLarty. The talk centered on his childhood, his career, the 9\/11 attacks, enhanced interrogation tactics and his resignation from his position as attorney general.<\/p>\n
As the highest-ranking Latino American in the U.S. government, Gonzales\u2019s childhood was unlike that of most government officials. Gonzales grew up in Humble, Texas, as one of eight children born to immigrant parents. He spoke fondly of his migrant worker parents who gave him his faith and his drive.<\/p>\n
\u201cI learned the value of work from my father,\u201d Gonzales said.<\/p>\n
Librarian Hannah Wood said she appreciated that Gonzales shared stories of his upbringing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI loved hearing him talk about his family and the values and work ethic they instilled in him,\u201d Wood said.<\/p>\n
Due to his expertise in immigration reform, Gonzales expressed his thoughts on President Trump\u2019s recent rescinding of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Gonzales explained his sympathy for DACA recipients and declared he has no issue with allowing them to stay in the U.S. with \u201csome kind of legal status.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, Gonzales also said he believes rescinding DACA may push Congress to create legislation that will put immigrants in a better place.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d like to see it all handled in one major immigration bill,\u201d Gonzales said. \u201cI just don\u2019t think Congress is up to doing that, and I regret that because that\u2019s their job and they\u2019re not doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Senior history major Sam Aly expected DACA to be a topic of discussion during the event.<\/p>\n
\u201cI went because it was a great opportunity to see a famous politician, and I wanted to hear his opinion as a Hispanic-American and the former AG on the recent events surrounding DACA and Trump’s immigration policy,\u201d Aly said.<\/p>\n
Gonzales was serving as counsel to former President George W. Bush during 9\/11 \u2014 what many consider one of the most influential days in U.S. history.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe take our cues from the president,\u201d Gonzales said. \u201cI was curious about what I would see in President Bush\u2019s face.e was determined, and he was angry.\u201d<\/p>\n
The next morning he arrived back to work in a \u201cbrand new world,\u201d one into which he was abruptly thrown, where he advised the president through the turbulent and controversial efforts during the War on Terror. In 2002, the Bush Administration faced severe criticism over the interrogation techniques used at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll I can say is, as a group, we did the very best we could to provide the very best legal advice that we could to the president of the United States on a very difficult subject,\u201d Gonzales said.<\/p>\n
Wood said that it was interesting to hear Gonzales discuss his experience working through 9\/11 and the events that followed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was a senior at Harding when 9\/11 happened and then moved up to DC just before the one year anniversary, so much of what he talked about felt very personal,\u201d Wood said.<\/p>\n
Aly thought he defended his role in Guantanamo Bay well.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis interpretations of the law were objective, and decisions that were made during his time in the White House were made by others at his recommendation,\u201d Aly said. \u201cIn other words, he didn’t have the final say,\u201d<\/p>\n
In 2007 Gonzales resigned amid criticism and an active investigation into the controversial War on Terror surveillance program: Stellar Wind.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was lonely and dark, and I was miserable,\u201d Gonzales said about the months following his resignation.<\/p>\n
Gonzales is currently a professor at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he also serves as the dean of the College of Law.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m proud of my service, and I\u2019m proud of what we did in serving all of you. That\u2019s what I chose to focus on,\u201d Gonzales said. \u201cAnd for those going into politics, go in with your eyes open and your armor on. It\u2019s hard, but it is so, so rewarding.\u201d<\/p>\n
Written by Paige Cushman<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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