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04/30/2004 Entry: "Go, State!"
This is great. Good on those college kids.
A group of students at Florida State University is demanding that FSU's president ask Vice President Dick Cheney not to attack Sen. John Kerry or make a "political diatribe" Saturday when delivers the school's commencement address.The demand comes after Cheney used a speech Monday at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri to sharply criticize the presumptive Democratic nominee's record, including votes against funding various weapons programs during his two decades in the Senate.
In a letter to FSU President Thomas Wetherell, the students characterized Cheney's speech in Missouri as "a nasty, personal attack" which "had no place in an official university setting."
Replies: 10 people speak up
sounds like a great excuse for students to embarass Dick... something as simple as a room full of booing college students would be a big deal on the Teevee
Posted by justin @ 04/30/2004 03:49 PM NY
Are you serious about this? Are you actually proud that some college students are asking for prior restraint of an invited speaker's comments, specifically that he not criticize the officially recorded U.S. Senate votes of a political opponent? This is bizarre!
What about if he made a speech upholding the principle of free and public exchange of political thought instead? Would that pass muster, or would the students demand self-censorship of Cheney on that matter too?
Posted by Steve Griffin @ 04/30/2004 04:58 PM NY
it's a college commencement ceremony, not a campaign speech. you had better believe the college has already threatened the student body with expulsion if they make a scene, why shouldn't Shitpile be under the same constraint. it was stupid to even invite the "man" in the first place. god knows i'd rais hell if i went there...
Posted by justin @ 04/30/2004 05:12 PM NY
What ever happened to free speech? First amendment all that stuff ! ! AHHHHH censorship at it's finest.
There is only one place I know of where free speech is not allowed... A court room........ My fine was 150.00
Posted by Robin Hacker @ 04/30/2004 06:33 PM NY
if you want free speech, please remove yourself to the free speech zone, its a few miles away, over at a different blog. i love the fact that republicans raise hell over free speech when it's their speech being questioned. I personally value your right to say whatever stupid thing you want, and in fact, i would go out and protest in favor of it. what im trying to say though is that this is a college graduation, this is the culmination of something that these people worked from 4-6 years for, and payed tens of thousands of dollars for. Dick Cheney has a right to say whatever he wants, but its not appropriate to ruin these poor people's graduation for a political speech, any more than it would be at a wedding, or a funeral. its a ceremony. if he has something motivational to say, that would be far more appropriate than a stump speech. besides, these people are college educated, so they are probobly not republicans anyway...
Posted by justin @ 04/30/2004 07:48 PM NY
just so you know, i dont think it would be appropriate for any politician, not just a Neo con.
Posted by justin @ 04/30/2004 07:49 PM NY
Yep, there's the difference.
Come and speak for your allotted time, Mr. Cheney. Extol the virtues of going out in the world and making your way.
If you're gonna trash your boss's opponent, then leave it outside.
Maybe you ought to think of the kids who are graduating. If it was you, would you want to hear some fat old wheezebag with a bum clock using your day to gain cheap political points?
Posted by edi @ 04/30/2004 08:15 PM NY
Hmmmmm
You misunderstand me, i wouldn't have the fat fuck at my college in an election year or any political type , period
I understand the graduation issue
However, If Kerry was giving the speech would there be so much protest? And don't give me the " he wouldn't make a political speech " crap either.
Posted by Robin Hacker @ 04/30/2004 09:22 PM NY
As far as I'm concerned, anybody giving a commencement speech should keep it apolitical. Democrat, Republican, Tory, Whig, Know-Nothing, Bull Moose, whatever. Leave it out of the commencement speech.
Plenty of time for politics not on some kid's graduation day. That goes for Kerry as well as Cheney.
Posted by editor @ 05/01/2004 11:59 AM NY
So, Robin. . . it's okay for you to give us the " 'he would make a political speech' crap" first?
Posted by Raijin>> @ 05/01/2004 08:58 PM NY
