Boston College faculty object to honorary degree for Rice

http://www.wrgb.com/engine.pl?station=wrgb&id=7599&template=breakout_regional_story.shtml&dateformat=%25M+%25e,%25Y ^

[gwb43_2004]

Boston College faculty object to honorary degree for Rice

(Boston - AP) - Some faculty members at Boston College are objecting to the school's decision to award an honorary degree to the Secretary of State.

A letter entitled "Condoleezza Rice Does Not Deserve a Boston College Honorary Degree" has been signed by nearly 100 faculty members. The letter was written by two prominent theology professors.

[Savage Beast]

I prefer the alternative plural sonofabitches. Carries more punch. More profoundly in the vernacular.

[Savage Beast]

Borrow a phrase from Madonna, Condi. Tell 'em to mail it to you.

[Ax]

One of BCs premier grads (BC Law) is John F'n Kerry. Also Doug Flutie who USED to be a cool guy until he endorsed Godzillary in the NY 2000 Senate race.

[American in Singapore]

The Reverend Kenneth Himes and the Reverend David Hollenbach write that Secretary Rice's approach to international affairs is in "fundamental conflict" with the college's commitment to "Catholic and Jesuit traditions."

Just another case of morons hijacking religion to suit their own purpose.

[Calvin Locke]

Kerry got his law degree from BC Law. The story is, that after Kerry's unsuccessful bid for a Congressional seat, he or
a benefactor wangled a late enrollment, like after the election in November...make that a really late enrollment.

BC was able to be bought. I have a vague recollection that Kerry had some sort of legal issues at the time that any
honest law school would have balked at even considering accepting him. I bet that Jimmy Carter kowtowed to Teddy K.
and included those "issues" in the alleged pardon that Kerry received.

FWIW, I dated a BC grad. I remember glancing at her yearbook, and the 1979 commencement speaker was VP Walter Mondale, iirc.

[spunkets]

She will speak and will get the degree on May 22. She's welcomed by most there.

Boston College.

[skr]

Really. Lionel Richie. Probably for parenting.

My guess was for Mr. Richie's smart singing. They already have Ted Kennedy for the stellar parenting division, but I don't think any of the rest of them sing, at least not smartly. He only had two hits that I can recall, which goes to show how little a Boston College Honorary Degree matters.

[Neverforget01]

As usual the MSM is giving half the story. Read how the other half (actually 61% ) of the college feels. http://media.www.bcheights.com/media/storage/paper144/news/2006/05/04/News/Condoleezza.Rice.Gets.Mixed.Support-1901135.shtml?sourcedomain=www.bcheights.com&MIIHost=media.collegepublisher.com

[Neverforget01]

Read the comments and have faith (pardon the pun). According to the poll in "The Heights" 75% of the College will welcome her. Of course you only hear the liberal side. BC Heights

[Txsleuth]

Thanks...I am not Catholic...but, if I were, I would be very disappointed in "my church"...

And, even though I am not Catholic, I have been disappointed in a lot of the NASTY anti-war messages...

Somehow, I have always thought that Jesus would appreciate the lives lost to save a nation that is being oppressed, and tortured like Iraq is...but, that is just me...

[Neverforget01]

My daughter attends the school. Believe me, you're getting less than half the story. It's like saying, all Republicans are like Chuck Hagel. And like most universities, the professors are liberal and students are wiser .

Other faculty and students have questioned the validity of this argument. Rev. Paul McNellis, S.J., said that after reading the article from the journal Foreign Affairs to which Hollenbach and Himes refer, McNellis believes the article was "not at odds with Catholic moral teaching."

"As Catholics, we must be concerned with international and national common good and people must be involved in politics as a profession. The church doesn't have an official teaching on Iraq or the U.N. where people of good will can legitimately disagree on the right action in a concrete situation," he said.

This is not news, so media will not report it .

Still more from a student:

"I feel that Secretary Rice, because of her life story and accomplishments, is an excellent choice for commencement speaker," said Brian Keller, A&S '06. "Regardless of whether you agree with her politics or not, Secretary Rice should be afforded the respect that a woman of her stature deserves."

As my duaghter tells me, kids are thrilled she's coming, and many non seniors are staying for graduation to see her. As an online campus poll shows, nearly 75% are pleased with the choice. Don't believe all you read. Jesuits are notoriously liberal and I'm stunned at the 75% conservative response.

[JCEccles]

Racists.

[bert]

I object to her even going to Boston College.

You lie with dogs , you get fleas.

Associate with Queers, you get Aids.

BU is PU

[Sam Cree]

Honorary degrees and respect are reserved for socialists and leftists. An apt comment on American education.

[Neverforget01]

Editorial from the school newspaper:

She has an inspiring story, growing up in Birmingham, Ala. during the civil rights movement with grandparents that worked as sharecroppers. She received a master's from Notre Dame and her bachelor's and Ph.D. from the University of Denver. She was a distinguished professor of foreign affairs at Stanford University and spent six years as Stanford's Provost. Her academic record alone would make her an impressive and inspiring speaker for any university. Since then, she has worked as Senior Director of Soviet and East European Affairs during the period of German reunification and the collapse of the Soviet Union. She has risen to be the second female secretary of state and is the driving force behind the American foreign policy - and yes, she has played a role in determining the course of the war in Iraq - that is shaping the world today.

Politics aside, this is a woman with a lot to say about academics, public service, leadership, and the world.

Don't believe all you hear in the MSM

[Txsleuth]

Even the guy on O'Reilly, that signed the petition to keep her from getting her honorary degree from BC, said he wants her to come speak...

He doesn't have any problem with having her do THAT...but, he WON'T stand for her getting an honorary degree...because, he said, it would reflect badly on an Jesuit College that believes in peace, not war.

He also admitted under O'Reilly's grilling, that he does NOT consider Rice a patriot.

So...even the ones signing the petition feel the same way as your daughter...but, they just don't want her to have the degree...which I, for one, thinks stinks out loud!!!

No disrespect meant for your daughter or your religion...but, I am embarrassed that one of our countrie's colleges would treat our Sec. of State this way..

My goodness, she is going around the world trying to work on PEACE...she isn't the Sec. of Defense, after all...

[Admin Moderator]

Watch the language.

[Neverforget01]

I don't think there was ever a time in the past 30 years where people in any administration speaking on college campuses didn't generate some controversy. I think it would be odd if the controversy didn't arise, especially in time of war. It isn't the University that's objecting to Sec'y Rice getting the degree--the University asked her to receive the degree. Two members of the faculty are objecting and writing petitions.

[Thom Pain]

John F. Kennedy - 1956

Robert F. Kennedy - 1960

Robert Sargent Shriver - 1964

Edward M. Kennedy - 1966

John Kenneth Galbraith - 1967

R. Buckminster Fuller - 1969

Katherine Graham - 1969

Adlai Ewing Stevenson - 1972

Walter Edward Washington - 1972

Vernon E. Jordan - 1973

Daniel Patrick Moynihan - 1976

Walter F. Mondale - 1979

Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy - 1981

Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill - 1981

George Bush - 1982

Maya Angelou - 1983

Thomas J. Brokaw - 1990

Eunice Kennedy Shriver - 1990

Barbara Bush - 1992

Warren B. Rudman - 1992

Jack Kemp - 1993

Queen Noor - 1993

William H. Cosby - 1996

Janet Reno - 1997

Archibald Cox - 1998

Richard A. Grasso - 1999

Tommy G. Thompson - 2001

http://www.bc.edu/publications/factbook/meta-elements/pdf/2003_04_honorary_degrees.pdf