A bunch of faculty members and graduates decided to make spectacles out of themselves this past weekend by exhibiting thoroughly rude and arrogant behavior towards their commencement speakers.

At New College, faculty and students turned their backs, raised protest signs and one of the student speakers openly mocked Senator John McCain during his speech.

I liked McCain’s comeback:

When I was a young man, I was quite infatuated with self-expression, and rightly so because, if memory conveniently serves, I was so much more eloquent, well-informed and wiser than anyone else I knew.

This same group of students and faculty seemed to find it necessary to slander their university president, former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey. Kerrey urged the students to practice open-mindedness. [source]

They called Bob Kerrey a ‘war criminal’.

Regardless of what you think of either Kerrey or McCain’s politics, it is my opinion that both of them are deserving of basic common respect.

Both of these men, Bob Kerrey and John McCain proved themselves on the field of battle long before these students were born. I would wager that none of these students have had the opportunity to test their valour under fire. Under real fire. Perhaps they shouldn’t be so quick to judge men who have been tested and proved themselves to be honorable and brave. Both men have continued in the service of their country in spite of the scars they carry from that war.

One is a democrat the other a republican. It’s not about politics. It’s about respect, manners and common decency.

Meanwhile, at another institution of liberal higher learning, Boston College, faculty and students staged a protest against Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice. At this protest, however, they were drowned out by a standing ovation. [source]

This group was protesting the War on Terrorism and called Rice an architect of the foreign policy and war.

Again, Dr. Rice has distinquished herself in circumstances and situations that these students can only read about in textbooks. I would wager their road to higher education has been much easier than Dr. Rice’s road. I would wager they have not had to fight the battles Dr. Rice has fought. And still Dr. Rice maintains her dignity, grace and tolerance.

“People have the right to protest, but I hope when they protest they realize also that people now have a right to protest in Baghdad and Kabul, and that’s a very big breakthrough for the international community,” Rice said Monday before the BC commencement.

“I think it’s just fine for people to protest as long as they do so in a way that doesn’t try to have a monopoly on the conversation,” Rice told WBZ-AM in an interview. “Others have right to say what they think as well.”

Dr. Rice exhibits the open-mindedness Senator Bob Kerrey unsuccessfully asked his students to attempt.

These pampered students and college faculty can not fathom the courage and fortitude these American heros have lived. Having a few spoiled rich kids stand up and weakly hold up signs, turn their backs and spout off talking points is a cake-walk for these men and women.

Their protests were silly, not courageous.

Mary Katherine Ham has more on Commence to Protestin’. Also at Wizbang.

others: The Sandbox, Rhymes with Right, Outside the Beltway, Elephants in Academia, Blue Crab Boulevard, Right Wing Sparkle, The Pirate’s Cove, Flopping Aces, The Political Pitbull, Sister Toldjah

open trackbacks: Common Folk Using Common Sense, Those Bastards

McCain’s speech

Blogs for Condi

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UPDATE: Bob Kerrey defends his students at The Huffington Post. He rightfully defends his students, but does it by basically saying … well, at least it wasn’t worse. In stating that student protests are an essential part of the freedom of expression.

Did we not love the brave and disrespectful students at Tiananmen? Did we not applaud the determination of the student led movements that helped bring down the dictators that ruled Eastern Europe in 1991? Have we forgotten the critical difference students made in reversing an unlawful election in Ukraine or in driving the Syrians from Lebanon or who still seethe in discontent under the religious law of Iran’s mullahs?

While I understand Mr. Kerrey’s responsiblity as president of the university to make a statement in defense of his students, I have to differ with him in comparing these students to the students in Tiananmen Square as well as the others he mentions.

I have never seen an act of bravery to compare to the student who stood in front of the tank in Tiananmen Square that day. You see, he did that knowing full well his would be killed for it.

Many of the students who protested in Tiananmen Square were killed. The student who stood in front of the tank was executed.

The students who stood up to dictators in Eastern Europe put their lives on the line to do so, as did the students in the Ukraine. Certainly anyone who protests while living under the rule of the islamic mullahs will do so at the very real risk of having their heads sawed off.

These students, who made their child-like gestures at no personal risk and in the complete safety of their academic environment in the United States are in no way comparable to the students you mention. There were no tanks to stop their protests, no KGB to take them away, Castro’s guards weren’t standing by to imprison them. They were allowed to say and do as they pleased. That is not an act of courage.

With all due respect, Mr. Kerrey, to compare the coddled, priviledged students of The New School who took a safe shot in a receptive environment to the dissidents who were, in fact, in real danger by their actions, is an insult to all the dissidents who have died, been imprisoned and/or long for the freedoms these children take so very much for granted.

As for McCain’s reaction, good for him. He has an equal right to express himself (although reading some of the left’s blogs one would think otherwise). He apparently doesn’t suffer fools lightly.

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linked: Third World County, Sed Vitae, Adam’s Blog, TMH’s Bacon Bits, Cigar Intelligence Agency, Diane’s Stuff