(sniffle...sniffle) A real Jackie Robinson/Pee Wee Reese moment there. I'm all verklempt.
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."
The guy was free to say whatever he wanted and the audience was free not to listen.
This wasn't a debate, or a policy speech, or a rally. It was a commencement address. If I were graduating there, I'd demand my graduation fee back.
I have every right to whine. It's called free speech.
So the liberal speaker has 1st Amendment rights, but not the offended audience? And if you think "despicable" speech that divides our nation in a time of war deserves sitting on one hands followed by polite applause, well, YOU are the one with a problem.
Why is it that Republicans or conservatives are suppose to suppress their feelings but when some left-wingers make a scene it is to be excused? I don't buy it. We'd better start making lots of noise anywhere that the dems think they have free reign to bash our President or our ideas as conservative Americans.
Correct me if I'm in error, but did not Kennedy go out and buy the services of a couple of hookers. I think PRESIDENT Bush consulted advisors and prayed before taking action!
(sniffle...sniffle) A real Jackie Robinson/Pee Wee Reese moment there. I'm all verklempt.
Say W or Rummy gave a commencement speech and was drowned out, you know you would be cursing the audience.
A Few Good Men....I love that movie.
"You want me on that wall....you need me on that wall"
"I want the truth"
"You can't handle the truth"
I think I'll have to watch that movie a little later.
You, your successor, Carter, and MacNamara (when he's taking his dirt nap) ought to be exhumed and beaten with your own bones yearly, sometime around the 4th of July.
P.S. I did really like you JFK, but in this situation you were a gutless, worthless coward, and you made others pay the price of cowardice for you. By the way, how's the heat?
My hometown is around 30 miles SW of Oswego,and the area is farm country,hunters,fisherman,grapes,apple orchards,churches galore. They are very patriotic,not far from Camp Drum,and Manlius is known for it's military academy. I am very proud of the people that let him have it. It was the graduates day to shine not his day to make a toad of himself.
So you think everybody should have just sat there meekly and listened to the gusher of anti-Bush venom that this rabid old guy was spewing?
This Sorenson creep chose to undercut the dignity of the occasion and turn the academic stage into a cheap, street-corner soapbox.
People should have hit him with a barrage of over-ripe vegetables, climbed up on the stage and frog-marched the bastard out into the parking lot.
too = to.
Really?? And what of Sorensen's grandstanding and shilling for the Democrats?:
"President Kennedy did not proceed unilaterally [unlike Dubya Bush], without obtaining the support of our allies and without recourse to the United Nations," he said.
Or did you find this perfectly acceptable?
IMO, the crowd reacted in the appropriate way in ridiculing Sorensen. He's lucky he wasn't peppered with a few dozen eggs.
I simply would not be able to sit and listen to this bull*hit. I can't do it anymore--I'm just not capable of it.
We are in a Cold Civil War.
I no longer just disagree with them. I fervently hate them and want to see them destroyed... Broken...
Bornea = Borneo...I hate making stupid mistakes, there's probably more, but that's all the review I'm doing tonight.
PING! You will LOVE this one!
Prairie
You can send me a check, Ted (coward of chappaquiddick) Kennedy came to Michigan State U in Feb. I was a foot away and shouted "stay out of the river". Im very proud of this!!!
Yeah, yeah, yeah... it's rumble time now for the libs. They've had the free ride for about 30 years... guess what, don't call mama now cause this is a Big Boy fight now. Mama can't help you.
I've played the gentleman in the past, have watched the conservatives do the same... I just guess we're sick and tired of it. The internet and multi channel cable have now opened up the media and most people realize that there are other conservatives and that they don't want to sit by and "play nice" while the libs trash us.
I knew it would happen, just glad to live long enough to see it.
As the great philosopher John Lennon said, "You say you want a revolution??? Well alright"
screw the libs and get used to getting it stuffed in your whiny, French humping, Clinton lickin faces from now on.
FATWA against the libs... ROFL.... LMAO...
72 Sweedish bikini team members for all that die in the Jihad... or the Coors light twins.
I think you are outnumbered in your opinion that the speaker was drowned out. They didn't shut him up; he still got to speak his piece. I am GLAD they booed the stinker.
My question now is who INVITED him to speak at the commencement? That individual could use a good booing too.
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