The rest of the story is now known.
Senator John McCain of Arizona received a cantankerous reception during his appearance at the New School commencement Friday, where dozens of faculty members and students turned their backs and raised signs in protest and a distinguished student speaker pointedly mocked him as he sat silently nearby.It gives you great confidence in our future to observe the ability of people to respectfully disagree. I am glad that no one acted like a kindergarten graduate who had his toy taken away from him by the teacher. It is refreshing that faculty members chose to set a good example for those whom they taught to value the inclusion of all people. In a day and age where rudeness and immaturity rule far too many people, it is heartwarming to see young college graduates with the common decency to sit and listen to someone they disagree with.
Or not.
1 comment:
Larry,
Would it ever be appropriate to make a "statement" at a graduation ceremony? Or would you say that the most appropriate thing to do if you object so strenuously to the speaker that you simply refrain from attending?
My gut reaction is that these graduates were immature and selfish. However, if Ted Kennedy, Al Gore or John Kerry were invited to speak at my commencement it might irritate me enough to want to make a statement. I wouldn't say that their views aren't welcome, just that they are embraced. And when I was 22 and thought that I knew everything, I might have even been more brash.
One other consideration, though, is if the speaker were coming into known "hostile territory". For example, if Hillsdale were to invite Hilary Clinton to speak. I would actually think that it would be far better for those students to demonstrate tolerance and decorum in welcoming her, if for no other reason than to demonstrate that in the marketplace of ideas we don't have to suppress opposing viewpoints for our convictions to prevail. Forgive the stream of consciousness posting...I'm still trying to formulate my position here.
Pat
p.s., Didn't Ted Kennedy speak at Liberty? Does anybody recall what the reception was like?
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