Posted on 05/03/2006 4:38:03 AM PDT by strider44
Invitation to Rice debated at BC Honorary degree draws objections By Catherine Elton, Globe Correspondent | May 3, 2006
Two leading theologians at Boston College have written a stinging letter objecting to the college's decision to invite Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to speak at graduation and to give her an honorary degree.
The letter, which will be delivered to the president and board of trustees, has set off a fiery debate.
Kenneth Himes, chairman of the department of theology, and the Rev. David Hollenbach, who holds the Margaret O'Brien Flatley chair in the department, titled their letter ''Condoleezza Rice Does Not Deserve a Boston College Honorary Degree," and sent it to the entire faculty inviting members to sign on. The writers said they were distressed with the university's decision to invite Rice to commencement May 22. Her selection was announced Monday.
''On the levels of both moral principle and practical moral judgment, Secretary Rice's approach to international affairs is in fundamental conflict with Boston College's commitment to the values of the Catholic and Jesuit traditions and is inconsistent with the humanistic values that inspire the university's work," the letter said. It pointed out Pope John Paul II's opposition to the war in Iraq.
''I have no objection to her coming here to speak -- I am in favor of free speech -- but I don't believe we should be honoring her with an honorary degree," Hollenbach said.
The debate over the Rice invitation underscores the tensions between liberal and conservative Catholics. Both camps yesterday accused the other side of selectively invoking Catholic teaching in their arguments.
''This is the only time these people have cited Pope John Paul II on anything," said the Rev. Paul McNellis, who is an adjunct professor in the philosophy department.
Student activist Reena Parikh, a senior English major, found a contradiction in BC's taking a Catholic teaching stance against abortion and gay rights, while at the same time inviting Rice to accept an honorary degree.
''Boston College has selectively chosen which Catholic teachings it's going to privilege and which ideas of Catholic teaching it's going to censor," Parikh said.
Other faculty members and students supported the invitation, saying that having such a notable speaker is an honor for the university. Political science professor Marc Landy said the letter was a ''grotesque mistake" and sent a letter asking colleagues not to sign the Himes-Hollenbach letter.
''This isn't about agreeing or disagreeing with Condoleezza Rice," Landy said. ''She is the secretary of state of the United States, and there is a presumption in favor of according a warm and dignified reception to arguably the third most important executive officer."
Student and faculty groups are meeting to hammer our positions on the invitations, and propose courses of action.
The US State Department would not comment on the letter or say whether Rice had accepted the invitation. According to BC, however, she has confirmed.
''Given that Dr. Rice's schedule allows her to make only one commencement speech per year, we are pleased that she has chosen to address graduating students at Boston College, a university with a proud tradition of preparing its alumni for careers in public service," director of public affairs Jack Dunn said in an e-mail to the Globe.
The letter, which will be presented to the college president and the board of trustees, stopped short of asking BC's administration to rescind its invitation. But it didn't take long after the the letter hit cyberspace for some members of the faculty to suggest it.
The Rev. David Gill, a classics professor, said he thinks it would be a waste of time to ask the administration to rescind its invitation to Rice, because it would never do so. But he supported raising debate about it.
''The secretary of state can also find something else to do that day if she needed to," he said.
Beat 'em at their own little game. Just call them both racists and be done with it.
Kenneth Himes and the Rev David Hollenbach = socialists, commies, leftist wacko, hate-America scum.
"Beat 'em at their own little game. Just call them both racists and be done with it."
Hopefully Howie Carr will exploit this one. Pisses me off to no end.
In 1974, at age 19, Rice earned her B.A. in political science and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Denver. In 1975, she obtained her Master's Degree in political science from the University of Notre Dame....In 1981, at the age of 26, she received her Ph.D. from the Graduate School of International Studies at Denver. In addition to English, she speaks Russian, French, German and Spanish.
At Stanford University, Rice was an Assistant Professor in Political Science (1981–1987), Associate Professor (1987-1993), and full Professor of Political Science (1993-July 2000)[40], Senior Fellow of the Institute for International Studies, and a Senior Fellow (by courtesy) of the Hoover Institution. She was a specialist on the former Soviet Union
the first woman and the first African–American to be Provost of Stanford, she was also the youngest Provost in the university’s history. Dr. Rice is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has been awarded honorary doctorates from Morehouse College in 1991, the University of Alabama in 1994, the University of Notre Dame in 1995, the Mississippi College School of Law in 2003, the University of Louisville and Michigan State University in 2004. She has written or collaborated on several books, including Germany Unified and Europe Transformed (1995), The Gorbachev Era (1986), and Uncertain Allegiance: The Soviet Union and the Czechoslovak Army (1984). Business career Rice has served on the board of directors for the Chevron Corporation, the Charles Schwab Corporation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Transamerica Corporation, Hewlett Packard, The Carnegie Corporation, The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, The Rand Corporation, and KQED, public broadcasting for San Francisco. She was also on the Board of Trustees of the University of Notre Dame, the International Advisory Council of J.P. Morgan, and the San Francisco Symphony Board of Governors.
ETC, ETC,ETC
In other words, BC, take your puny "honorary" degree and stuff it. It is not Condoleezza that would be honored, but BC - and why should she condescend to that?
I was somewhat surprised to see such a controversy at BC, a widely known and esteemed Catholic college! But given the illegal actions by Cardinal Mahoney in California and the rampant child abuse in Massachusetts, I am not entirely astonished that it appears that BC has soiled itself.
BC is no less driven by liberal political correctness as any other private institution.
It's a shame, but there it is.
We have to stand bye and see what happens right before, during, and after her speech. If the students and faculty act with respect, then I can forgive some limited Liberal whining. But if they decide to act juvenile and protest, then all bets are off.
Free Mumia Abu Rice!
Nothing intimidates racists like Kenneth Himes and the Rev David Hollenb more than a strong black woman.
Pope is against abortion, wanna bet these two have a more "enlightened" view?
Did you ever hit the nail on the head! The last thing she needs is a stinkin' honorary degree. She has the real thing (a Doctorate) which is more than can be said for most of those whiners at B.C.
Did you ever hit the nail on the head! The last thing she needs is a stinkin' honorary degree. She has the real thing (a Doctorate) which is more than can be said for most of those whiners at B.C.
Ladies & Gents: There is a rule....
I agree with your parents. I have a graduate degree from BC and, with the exception of my football and basketball season tickets, refuse to donate any more money to the school.
I have a few friends who are "Triple Eagles" which still carries plenty of clout in Boston. For those on the thread that don't know - graduates of Boston College High School, Boston College, and BC Law. Both are none too happy about the PC climate in some circles there. Still love the football and basketball. Starting when I was about 5 years-old we always went to at least 3 BC football games a year, and never missed the Army game.
After my brother and I both got accepted at BC my father stopped donating money because we both were told we couldn't get on-campus housing as freshmen. My bro went to Holy Cross instead (shocking my parent's BC buddies), I chose Norwich. No regrets.
Particularly damaging was the charge (subsequently disproved) by Senator Joseph McCarthy in 1950 that over 200 "active members of the Communist Party" worked in the Department.They should love the State Dept in Boston. Look at this quote from their website. I wanted to post it as a thread, but wasn't sure where it would go, or what date it was published. I just found it accidentally, a few mins ago. Isn't this a State Dept lie?
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