On May 6 I posted on the New School’s President’s invitation to Senator John McCain, a former POW and war hero, to be this year’s commencement speaker.
When liberals and leftists who dominate the New School learned of the invitation they immediatly ceased dialoguing about “tolerance” and “inclusion” to demand McCain be barred from speaking.
You see, Castro, Chavez, Ward Churchill – they’re “heroes” the New School would welcome.
But Sen. McCain? One New School scholar called him “a homopohobic (sic) bigot, just like the rest of them.”
Well, anyway, did McCain ever get to speak? And, if so, how’d it go?
From today’s New York Times:
Graduates at New School Heckle Speech by McCain
The jeers, boos and insults flew, as caustic as any that angry New Yorkers have hurled inside Madison Square Garden.Faculty and students waved orange banners declaring: "Our commencement is not your platform." Many other students and faculty members waved orange fliers with the same message.
The objects of derision yesterday, however, were not the hapless New York Knicks, but Senator John McCain, the keynote speaker at the New School graduation, and his host, Bob Kerrey, the university president. […]
Further on the Times reported:
As Mr. McCain came to the lectern, dozens of students and professors stood and turned their backs on him. Many waved their fliers. […]The New School audience’s effort to suppress McCain’s speech is one more instance of a thuggish intolerance for diversity that we see more and more of on the left.
After yesterday's event, Mr. McCain told reporters he felt "fine" about his reception. "I feel sorry for people living in a dull world where they can't listen to the views of others," he said.
The choice of orange to represent speech suppressors is ironic. Most of us associate orange with the Ukraine’s recent drive for independence and greater tolerance for political diversity.
The New School’s early faculty members, many of whom fled Germany in the late 20s and early 30s, would have thought brown a more appropriate color for speech suppressors. Faculty who later joined them after fleeing the Soviet Evil Empire would no doubt have thought red was also appropriate.
Advice to the New School:
If you’re going to suppress speech at next year’s graduation, go with either brown or red.
My guess is red will be more popular with the faculty and student body, but both colors are equally appropriate.
3 comments:
Commencement color advice is the last thing they need. Anybody as ignorant and close-minded as that has no business graduating. Henceforth commencement exercises should be cancelled, there is nothing to celebrate if they turn out of school that mentally limited.
Does NOT sound to me like Ms. Rohe is intellectually limited.
I read her speech and Senator McCains. CONTEXT IS VERY IMPORTANT here. His address was more of a political message to HIS supporters for a Presidential run, than an inspiring SINCERE message crafted for the ACTUAL audience.
I have met John McCain. I admire Senator McCain and his service during Vietnam; read all of his books too. Like him, I was also a Naval Aviator, USNA grad and life-long Republican.
I did NOT like the disruptive comments by the students, any more than I liked the college protest years ago when I was a Navy Recruiter on college campuses, but please consider this:
Ms. Rohe’s speech was respectful and addressed an issue at the center of John McCain’s speech, his support for the Iraq War. This war has cost:
*Over 2,400 US Lives
*Over 16,000 US Casualties
*30,000 to over 100,000 Iraqi Lives
*In long-term Monetary Cost, CONSERVATIVELY estimated to ultimately be over ONE TRILLION DOLLARS
Is it any wonder that students would be frustrated? This war is the critical issue of this generation. Instead of solving the terrorist problem, we have worsened it. I deal every day with iraqi vets. This is not a small issue and not all of the students protesting are self-absorbed.
Cheers
Quest Republic,
In my post I didn't mention Ms. Rohe.
My post was directed at those who would suppress McCain's speech.
I'll post soon on what I think colleges and universities should do with regard to commencement speakers and how I think we in the audience should react.
I hope you keep checking back. I'd love to have your reaction after I post.
Thank you for an informed and reasoned comment.
Most of all, thank you for your service to our country.
John
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