Here's a perfect example of what I'm talking about. These kids are graduating from college, probably the biggest achievement in their lives so far and a moment for reflection and celebration, and this complete rectum hijacks the commencement speech to spew political propaganda. Now, if a conservative did the same thing and started railing against liberals at a graduation ceremony, it would be equally disgusting. But how often do you hear of that happening? Liberals are the ones who tend to feel it's their gaia given right to shout their hate from the rooftops any time, any place, no matter how offensive or inappropriate. You know that bumper sticker "mean people suck?" I'd like to see one that says "bitter people suck." p.s. this guy probably considered himself some kind of noble martyr because he was booed for "speaking the truth." no consideration for the feelings or memories of the students whatsoever. ================== BY BART JONES STAFF WRITER May 24, 2004 E.L. Doctorow, one of the most celebrated writers in America, was nearly booed off the stage at Hofstra University Sunday when he gave a commencement address lambasting President George W. Bush and effectively calling him a liar. Booing that came mainly from the crowd in the stands became so intense that Doctorow stopped speaking at one point, showing no emotion as he stood silently and listened to the jeers. Hofstra President Stuart Rabinowitz intervened, and called on the audience to allow him to finish. He did, although some booing persisted. Doctorow, who spent virtually all of his 20-minute address in Hempstead criticizing Bush, told the crowd that like himself the president is a storyteller. But "sadly they are not good stories this president tells," he said. "They are not good stories because they are not true." That line provoked the first boos, along with scattered cheers. "One story he told was that the country of Iraq had nuclear and biological and chemical weapons of mass destruction and was intending shortly to use them on us," he said. "That was an exciting story all right, it was designed to send shivers up our spines. But it was not true. "Another story was that the Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, was in league with the terrorists of al-Qaida," he said. "And that turned out to be not true. But anyway we went off to war on the basis of these stories." Those lines provoked an outburst of boos so loud the "Ragtime" author stopped the speech. Rabinowitz approached the podium and called for calm. "We value open discussion and debate," he said. "For the sake of your graduates, please let him finish." Some students and most of the faculty responded with a standing ovation, and Doctorow resumed speaking. He attacked Bush for giving the rich tax breaks, doing "a very poor job of combating terrorism" and allowing the government to subpoena libraries "to see what books you've been taking out." Many parents and relatives of the more than 1,300 undergraduates were livid over the address, saying afterward that a college graduation was not the place for a political speech. "If this would have happened in Florida, we would have taken him out" of the stadium, said Frank Mallafre, who traveled from Miami for his granddaughter's graduation. Bill Schmidt, 51, of North Bellmore, shared the outrage. "To ruin my daughter's graduation with politics is pathetic," the retired New York Police Department captain said. "I think the president is doing the best he can" in the war against terrorism. Many students also called Doctorow's speech inappropriate. Peter Hulse, 24, of Manchester, England, said, "He's a bit like Michael Moore," the documentary director who provoked booing at last year's Oscars' ceremony by criticizing the war in Iraq. But some defended Doctorow's speech. "I think he's entitled to his opinion and he's as American as anyone else," said a Hempstead resident who identified himself only as Frank and whose daughter was graduating. One Hofstra official said Sunday that while Doctorow had the right to say what he did, he violated the unwritten code that college commencement speeches should inspire and unite a student body. Provost Dr. Herman Berliner said he has been to numerous graduation ceremonies during the past 30 years and "I cannot remember a commencement speech that was as divisive as this commencement speech was." The university did not know the content of the address. It is not Hofstra's policy to screen commencement speeches, officials said. Berliner said it was relatively common during the Vietnam War, but "extraordinarily uncommon" in recent times for a speaker to have to stop speaking. Still, it has happened recently. Last year, New York Times reporter Chris Hedges was booed off the stage when he tried to deliver an antiwar speech at Rockford College in Illinois. Some Hofstra professors said Doctorow was on target in discussing the war. "I thought this was a totally appropriate place to talk about politics because that's the world our students are entering," said sociology professor Cynthia Bogard. "I only wish their parents had provided them a better role model."
Dark: >Why is it that liberals have such a >lousy sense of humor? Sort of like the conservatives who can't take a "training wheels" joke. JB
Sorry, doesn't fly. Kerry came off as vindictive and petty with that remark. It was bad theater and it touched on a real undercurrent of bitterness. But then, a lot of the left thinks Hitler analogies are funny so what do I know? The quote was a bonus for Bush because of what it actually said about Kerry. Karl Rove couldn't have scripted it better.
You might want to actually read the whole post instead of doing the knee jerk two step. I didn't write the text, I posted it from an email I received as an example of where anti-Kerry rhetoric is going. And who the hell said anything about Limbaugh?? He's become a pompous ass as far off the right edge of reality as so many liberal commentators and nutbars are off the left edge of reality. I could give a sh*t where Heinz makes it's products. Companies should be able to capitalize on where it's most cost effective to do its production and I've helped a bunch of companies both outsource and/or offshore certain operations to do so over the years - but lower pay rates aren't always most cost effective - productivity and quality play key factors and should always be factored in the evaluation equations. Unfortunately, Kerry's own BS rhetoric on the subject demonstrates both a lack of understanding of basic business AND his hopelessly entrenched "I'll say and do anything to get elected" politician (i.e., scum sucker) fundamentals. As I said, it's going to be a queen of the pigs race - there's no good choice.
Darkhorse, Kerry vs. Limbaugh....one guy is a politician, and one is an entertainer. I believe in voting for the person who suits the times. Whether Kerry or Bush is the better choice now is one issue. The thought of having Limbaugh (as he represents himself) serving in public office is scary. Just as Michael Moore holding office would be scary. That Air America is not a commercial success comes as no surprise. Political moderates (what Limbaugh would call the "left") need no one to tell them how to think. And so we get extremists who make the ridiculous Hitler-Bush comparisons which serve no purpose. They do not convince anyone of anything. They represent an insignificant part of the electorate. Unlike the "dittoheads" that sadly comprise a huge percentage of the electorate. They need someone to tell them how and what to think, and most significantly they need someone to tell them who to blame for whatever is wrong with their lives....which is exactly what the far right plays on. I know you know that Darkhorse. The far right is the politics of blame. "Liberals have such a lousy sense of humor"? Pretty broad generalization Dark....pretty surprised to hear this from you. All those stuffy "liberal" entertainers who just can't get a laugh if their lives depended on it. George Carlin, Larry David, Mel Brooks, and Jon Stewart aren't half as funny as Anne Coulter Politics and politicians make for good humor. No matter who is in office, the David Lettermans, Jay Lenos, etc. are going to hammer them nightly. It has always been that way. Certainly as long as I remember. (and you know I am as old as Methuselah). In my time, Kennedy got it, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, both Bushs', and obviously Clinton. And when there was a special added attraction, like Quale, all the more fun. He brought attention to the Vice Presidency like no one since Nixon (well Agnew had his moments, but that was more tragedy than comedy). Peace and laughter, RS
AA....you are right...I responded in a "knee jerk" reaction. And of course I know you did not write the text. And I apologize for incorrectly wording my post. It was a mistake for me to make the implication I did. The reason I mentioned Limbaugh was that I knew that he had made a big deal about the Heinz "outsourcing" and that it was totally politicized and very inaccurate. And you are right. That email is an example of where the anti-Kerry rhetoric is going. Which was, I guess, why I was too quick to criticize your post. It seems to me that there is certainly enough legitimate argument to make against Kerry (just as there is with Bush) without having to bring in the ketchup and pickles nonsense. (And again, I know it was not you who did that, so again, please accept my apology and try and understand that I just, as you so accurately said, had a "knee jerk" reaction"). I hope you read the link from Snopes.com. Blaming Kerry for something like this (as Limbaugh indeed did....he made quite an issue of it) is, to me, like blaming GWB for the trade that his grandfather did with Hitler. Completely irrelevant. I am no fan of either Bush or Kerry. But when I hear the Bush/Hitler stuff, I am sickened. Now, when I hear that Kerry is responsible for the loss of jobs by Heinz outsourcing, I am equally disgusted. There are laws about truth in advertising. Why not truth in politicizing? (I know...far too much to hope for). Peace, RS
AA: >As I said, it's going to be a queen of the pigs >race - there's no good choice. Now there is a truth. JB
thank goodness bush didn't waffle in the face of al qaeda, instead ignoring bin laden and unwaveringly sacrificing 800 soldiers and wasting $300 billion to destroy an unrelated country.... wavering sure could've been deadly. it's hard to see how iraq could stabilize - seems the best to hope for is a civil war to distract them away from killing americans and toward killing other iraqis, and that the media ignores it enough to allow a fade into the "afghanistan zone." you're right on the EQ/IQ, at least that's the drama the media has set up. sort of a gore/bush sequel, snobby intellectual vs. good-ol' boy simpleton, "who'd ya rather have a beer with?" comparisons. as long as the majority doesn't appreciate/ignores bush's disasters, that scenario is a good one for rove.