Posted on 05/16/2004 5:45:34 PM PDT by veronica
A keynote speaker at State University College at Oswego's graduation ceremony Saturday was drowned out by booing, hissing and foot-stomping after he criticized President Bush.
Theodore C. Sorensen, a lawyer and author who served as special counsel to President Kennedy, never said Bush's name. But he took the president to task for going on vacation after warnings of terrorist attacks surfaced, declaring war without allied support and gloating about a victory.
Sorensen compared the ways Kennedy handled the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 to the methods Bush used to handle the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
"President Kennedy did not proceed unilaterally, without obtaining the support of our allies and without recourse to the United Nations," he said.
As Sorensen spoke, one student's mother stood up and ordered him off the stage. A graduate yelled, "Are you serious?" but another quickly chimed in, "Let the man finish his speech."
The noise got so loud that Sorensen, who spoke into a microphone, at times could not be heard. More than half his speech was overpowered by audience rumbling and shouting.
College President Deborah F. Stanley moved next to Sorensen as he spoke through the chaos. Stanley thanked the audience for being respectful "in a place where ideas, information and understanding reign supreme." She said after the ceremony that her comment was as much a criticism as a compliment.
"People, I think, understand that Mr. Sorensen has led a political and policy-oriented life," Stanley said. "But the way he chose to express that was, perhaps, surprising."
"It was just like a slap in the face," said Mary Sheldon, of Lorraine, Jefferson County, whose daughter Johanna Besaw graduated Saturday with an English degree. "We came here to be supportive of our kids and their achievements. It wasn't the time or the place for politics."
Sheldon's son, David Dreier, 25, received notice Thursday that he will be shipping out to Iraq with the National Guard. The family left Romney Field House, where the ceremony was held, midway through Sorensen's speech.
Charlie Vecchio, 25, a former army soldier originally from Manlius, disagreed with Sorensen's views but had more of a problem with the audience.
"People's reactions were a little outrageous," he said. "I have friends who died so we could say what we want. That's part of why our soldiers are over there, for our right to freedom of speech."
I think the behavior of the crowd is a disgrace. Perhaps withhold applause, but don't drown out what the speaker is saying. This is 10 times more likely to happen with a conservative speaker and a liberal audience, and we would be denouncing the crowd in such a case.
Probably the way he said it was insulting to the audience.
Liberals think they can turn every event into a Bush-hating fest. They never stop politicizing, and I am glad he got called on the carpet.
the times are a changen.
The crowd was justified completely in voicing their disapproval of this guy.
While it may have been rude of the audiance, they were only exercising their own freedom of speech.
Congrats to the audience for their response!
I applaud the people who drowned out the speech. And if I was one of the alumni, I'd never send a dollar in alumni money to that school. The school authorities have made it plain that they're determined to push a certain political platform. They'd never get a dollar of my money.
I think the behavior of the crowd reflects the proper attitude with respect to the liberal behavior recently seen in this country.
Lets get back to the "you are the future, go forth and lead the nation speeches"
Yep...I raised three children the Republican way...they got out on there own and guess what?...still Republicans!
Yo, Charlie. Aren't our soldiers over there fighting for the audience's right to free speech also?
I think the behavior of the crowd was just, and Sorenson the disgrace.
He had the microphone. He finished his speech. I reckon his freedom to say unpopular things was protected just fine.
The students shouldn't have to suffer their graduation being turned into a partisan political rally.
Not me.
If this old fool decides to turn a once in a liftime event into a personal political diatribe, I'd have applauded if they'd thrown things at him.
He ruined the graduation ceremony.
And, a conservative who chose to turn such an event into a political event would deserve the same treatment.
This is not Sorenson's day; it belongs to the graduates.
He should be ashamed of himself. The college president should have given him the hook.
I salute the crowd. Sorensen apparently was political and provocative, insulting the President and criticizing his judgment during wartime.
Sorensen should not have believed that he had carte blanche to proselytize at a graduation ceremony, and the students were exercising their right to react to his provocation.
I would not have been offended during the Clinton Administration if pro-Clinton students booed a graduation speaker who criticized his behavior in Mogadishu. I would have felt that he had it coming.
I'd pay good money to see this happen to the slob Senator from Mass. What a joke HE is.
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