Some university graduates have gone on to great heights—think Steve Jobs or John F. Kennedy. This year, alumni from Tougaloo College experienced a less than stellar moment during their commencement.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas delivered an erratic opening speech to the 2025 graduating class, and let’s just say, it fell flat. Around 20 minutes in, those present were left feeling quite disappointed.
“Councillor [Bernie] Thompson basically made me do this; I was blue,” she started off.
“We don’t have stylists, parent armies, or makeup artists,” she continued. “Often, I let my staff kick off a speech, then I add my touch or even scrap it entirely.” This comment hints at two rhetorical styles that Aristotle defined. It’s an interesting choice for a speech, really.
“There’s a song called, ‘People you don’t like will take your job,’” she said. It seems this mantra served as a backdrop for her life. While she repeated sentiments about paradoxes and similarities throughout her address, she never confirmed if there was any deeper meaning behind it.
The representative stated something about motivation which included lyrics from American rapper TI: “I got the spirit of God, the heart of a dope dealer,” and “I separated the fakes and paralyzed from the waist.” This last line appeared to reference Greg Abbott, a Republican from Texas.
Crockett then emphasized the significance of the chair in her metaphor, saying, “This reminds you of Montgomery and a folding chair. Tell me how you know to use the chair—whether you’re pulling it up or doing something else.” This seemed to nod towards the viral “Montgomery Riverside Brawl” incident, where a folding chair was used as a weapon. Not quite the future that many parents envision for their graduates.
In a letter shared on her personal social media account, Crockett mentioned a call the university received about her speech, stating that they had been in touch with law enforcement. She added that it was 2025, and the country still clung to hatred.
“This type of behavior is why I require protection constantly,” she said. “I recognize I have to speak the truth in this country.”
Her complaints extended into the core themes of her speech as she lamented, “Instead of calling us the n-word publicly, they use racist terms that suggest we are ghettos or unqualified.” Crockett had previously suggested that her hiring as a public defender was racially motivated.
Avoiding accountability for her own statements seems to wear on her. “Why did I say I was tired even after saying I wasn’t? Because I am. Honestly, that’s okay,” she told the graduates. Sometimes, being tired feels like a groundbreaking reveal.
Time and again, Crockett demonstrates a kind of wit that feels generational. Yet, she’s often vague about her thoughts. “When I sat in university, I didn’t care about your business, your age, or how many years ago it was,” she remarked. “Sadly, I was trying to recall who spoke and what they talked about, and frankly, I don’t have any memories.” It sounded almost as thrilling as a visit to a memory care facility.
She added, “The only thing I can confidently say is that I had no inspiration to become a lawmaker. Honestly, there were days I questioned it myself.” It seems she’s not alone in that feeling. Many Americans might share the confusion about her election. If she’s that fatigued, perhaps a vacation is in order—for both her and her constituents.
