President Bush receives an unwelcome reception from Furman University
I wonder if President Bush knows how deeply unpopular he is (via the Associated Baptist Press):
Students, administrators, faculty and alumni of Furman University are in an uproar over a speech by President Bush, scheduled for the school’s May 31 commencement exercises in Greenville, S.C.
The controversy at the moderate school – located in one of the most conservative parts of one of the reddest states in the Union – has played out in local and national media. The spat has prompted arguments over censorship, academic freedom and respect for graduating seniors among students, faculty, administrators and alumni of the historic Baptist liberal-arts college.
“Under ordinary circumstances it would be an honor for Furman University to be visited by the president of the United States. However, these are not ordinary circumstances,” began a letter of objection that originated with the school’s faculty and was signed by more than 200 professors, administrators and students. It referred to the way that the Bush administration sold the Iraq war to the public as well as its treatment of terrorism suspects, handling of environmental and scientific issues and promotion of deficit spending.
“We are ashamed of these actions of this administration,” the letter continued. “The war in Iraq has cost the lives of over 4,000 brave and honorable U. S. military personnel, wounded more than 13,000 military personnel so severely that they are unable to return to duty, killed tens of thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians, will cost more than 2 trillion dollars, and has severely damaged our government’s ethical and moral credibility at home and abroad. Because we love this country and the ideals it stands for, we accept our civic responsibility to speak out against these actions that violate American values.”
The letter was posted on the school’s official commencement-information website shortly after Furman officials announced that Bush was scheduled to speak.
I am outraged that the president would be invited to speak at the commencement exercises and then be bombarded with comments like these. The administration and student body at Furman University have shown complete and utter disrespect for the leader of our (and their) country in an unacceptable manner. If they felt this way, why on earth would they invite the president to speak. Shame on them for their childish and unprofessional behavior!
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080531/NEWS01/80531003/-1/rss01#pluckcomments
slightly different interpretations
Ethel Warren,
The administration invited the president to speak, and even if that weren’t the case, students and administrators have every right (and if they feel strongly enough, obligation) to protest the president. He’s the leader of the country, yes, but that doesn’t entitle him to special treatment when he’s done something wrong.
These ‘educated’ protestors have, once again, proven just how out of touch they are. They live and work in a country that values education and free-thinking because of men like Bush, not in spite of them.
And, they also show a complete ignorance of the reasons for the economic slow down, and the factors involved.
Interesting to note how we have not been attacked by terrorists on US soil since this administration took the hard and politically unpopular stance concerning the War on Terror.
Thank God for American leaders willing to do the right thing for the US, despite what the popularity polls indicate.
Ron baby, your statement,”These educated protestors” has a ring of Beverly Hillbillies to it. Also, “They (Educated protestors) live and work in a country that values education and free-thinking because of men like Bush.”
Huh?
Bush wants to moniter your phone calls without your knowledge. Bush will not allow cost overruns, Iraqi corruption and the out and out stealing of hundreds of billions of American dollars to be investigated claiming national security. He has authorized torture and allowed thousands of potentially innocent Iraqis to be imprisioned for years without a trial.
He has taken us into a war that did not need to be fought (read What Happened), costing us thousands of American lives, thirty thousand wounded soldiers and several hundred thousand Iraqi lives, not to mention the estimeated two to three trillion dollars it will end up costing the American treasury, and for what? They want us out of there homeland!
This is only the tip of the iceberg and you have the chutzpah to write, “Thank God for American leaders willing to do the right thing for the US.” Man, you deserve Bush/Cheney!
Gosh I wish you 14 liberal professors had let us know how you were going to protest a speech by YOUR President, and My President. I would have shown up with a compressor powered paint machine, and painted you all YELLOW. You are oh so sure of your superior intelligence. The same thing happened to me in Vietnam. We had the war won, and yellow bellies like you pushed us out, leaving the country in Communist hands to torture, rape, and send to re-education camps. While we were over there we soldiers watched your protests, and would have given anything to WRING your necks. YELLOW IS YOUR COLOR.