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Links: Law students at Michigan up in arms about anti-gay commencement speaker
By David WarnerApril 21st, 2011, 7:30 pmComments (5)
The law school at the University of Michigan is in an uproar right now, because the administration picked anti-gay politician Rob Portman to speak at commencement. It's always good to see the future lawyers and lawmakers of this country standing up against homophobia. Hopefully, they'll be just as fervent when they have the power to change things.
Like I always say: why form a boring, old picket line, when you could get butt-naked and slather fake oil all over yourself? I know at least one person agrees with me. To protest Tate Britain's continued partnership with BP, a member of activist group Liberate Tate did exactly that.
Recently, America was named the twelfth happiest country in the world. If that doesn't make you happy, think about the poor people living in the countries near the bottom of that list. Seriously, we have it great. So, quit complaining about dropped calls and slow internet.
Finally, for all you misinformed Easter enthusiasts, here are the origins of some of your favorite Easter traditions. I'm not terribly interested in why chocolate bunnies became a thing. All I know is I'm going to get all inside like four of those things this Sunday.
Commentarium (5 Comments)
There was a similar controversy at my commencement when the Director of the FBI was invited to speak. The issue then was mistreatment of Hispanics employees. The Dean responded by inviting an Hispanic-rights representative to also speak on the program. (20+ years later, I can't tell you a word either of them said.) Practically speaking, the Dean can't disinvite Portman, but maybe asking a pro-marriage equality speaker to attend would be a good compromise.
Or we could simply realize that people differ on matters such as this and that entertaining possibly opposing points of view is not damaging to a healthy mind.
This is a really bad decision on UofM's part. They should really do something to rectify this.
You're right, anon, people should only speak publicly if everyone in the audience is going to completely agree with the speaker's views. What if a group of the law students were in an uproar because the speaker was definitively pro-gay? Then they would all be haters and bigots, right? I think that it's hysterical that law students, of all people, are protesting somebody excercising their First Amendment rights to free expression. If you don't like what is being said, don't go. Duh.
Barack Obama campaigned on being against gay marriage. Thus, he's unqualified to speak there, too.