Article snippet: President Trump in a commencement address at Liberty University both went after his critics and emphasized the role faith plays in America. “The fact is, no one has achieved anything significant without a chorus of critics standing on the sidelines explaining why it can't be done,” Trump told the crowd in Lynchburg, Virginia, in what was his first commencement speech as president. “Nothing is easier or more pathetic than being a critic...The future belongs to the people who follow their heart no matter what the critics say because they truly believe in their vision.” Liberty is a Christian university founded in 1971 by pastor and conservative activist Jerry Falwell. Following Falwell’s death in 2007, his son, Jerry Falwell Jr., took over as university president. Falwell endorsed Trump’s run for the presidency in January of 2016. Before Trump’s speech, Falwell in his address commented that Trump’s presidency has benefited the Christian community in the U.S. and presented the president with an honorary Doctorate of Law degree. Following a tumultuous week that saw the firing of FBI Director James Comey, Trump didn’t waste time taking the opportunity to lay into his critics. “In my short time in Washington, I have seen firsthand how the system is broken,” Trump told the crowd. “A small group of failed voices who think they know everything and understand everyone want to tell everybody else how to live and what to do and how to think, but you aren't going to... Link to the full article to read more