Posted on 05/24/2006 5:44:52 PM PDT by LurkedLongEnough
DANBURY — Western Connecticut State University graduate Krista M. Lindstedt wants an apology from commencement speaker Catherine Crier, who turned Sunday's graduation ceremony into "more of a political rally than a commencement speech that should be positive, motivational and happy."
"Overall she offended a lot of people," said Lindstedt, 33, of Crier's speech, which lasted at least 20 minutes. "It was completely, completely inappropriate. It was a slap in the face to veterans" — and soldiers like herself.
An Air Force staff sergeant, Lindstedt is a medical services "craftsman," doing everything a civilian nurse does, although she cannot give intravenous drugs.
For the last 11 years she has served in places including New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina; El Salvador in 2001, after an earthquake there; and at a Texas Air Force base in 2002 to fill in for those who were deployed to Iraq.
Western Connecticut State University graduate Krista Lindstedt protested comments made by commencement speaker Catherine Crier.
"These guys (soldiers) are over there (in Iraq) sacrificing their lives so we can have special occasions with family and friends, for her to get up there," Lindstedt said.
Commencement and other speeches around the Northeast have increasingly centered on the Iraq war, leaving bitter feelings from WestConn to Boston, New York and Virginia.
At the same time, universities and other groups have struggled to balance free-speech rights for their selected speakers with the feelings of students who don't want their day ruined by a commencement star with an agenda.
The week before WestConn's graduation, U.S. Sen. John McCain gave a speech at the Rev. Jerry Falwell's Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., defending his support for the war in Iraq and saying opponents of the war have a moral duty to challenge the wisdom of a conflict that has exacted a huge toll on the nation.
Some faculty members and students at Columbia University and New School University in New York City protested McCain giving their graduation speech because of his support for the war and conservative views.
At Boston College, some faculty members didn't want Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as commencement speaker because it could be seen as the school endorsing U.S. involvement in the Iraq war.
Crier hosts "Catherine Crier Live," a daily show on Court TV that discusses the legal perspective of breaking news.
The author, journalist, businesswoman and former lawyer and judge said she decided instead of "throwing out the same platitudes of having graduates chase their dreams," she wanted to talk about the current political state of the U.S. and the need for active citizenship.
Topics in her speech ranged from her belief that soldiers and innocent citizens in Iraq are dying senselessly, to how the U.S. government is using fears of terrorism to erode important Constitutional protections at home.
During an interview Monday, Lindstedt said she believes President Bush and his administration "have everyone's best interest in mind. I do not think he would do anything out of malice or to intentionally cause ill will to any person."
Lindstedt said Tuesday that Crier simply went too far.
As the speech progressed into more political statements that "slammed Bush, our occupying Iraq," Lindstedt said, "my heart started pounding."
While Lindstedt described herself as normally "very diplomatic," she said "she (Crier) kind of gave me no choice. I wasn't going to sit and listen to it. I became emotional."
She stood up in the graduation crowd Sunday.
Lindstedt told The News-Times exactly what she said.
"I said this is wrong. It is not about you, about politics. It is about graduation. This is an insult to graduates and guests who have family members over there (in Iraq). They didn't come to sit at a political rally."
Lindstedt and others stood and turned their backs to Crier to show their opposition to her message. Many people came up to Lindstedt later and shook her hand or patted her on the back for standing up for her beliefs.
"I did not plan on that happening," she said. "It was not about our moment that we were living. It was not about our achievements, expectations and moving forward, but a slam on the (Bush) administration."
"I know that these issues are very sensitive issues on all sides of the fence, all sides of the debate," said Crier. "I wasn't completely surprised (at the protest). I didn't walk away upset because it wasn't perfect.
"In an ideal world," she said, "it be great if you could sort of propose different points of view, engaging in ideas, engaging in healthy debate."
Lindstedt said WestConn President James Schmotter should have learned what Crier's commencement speech was about beforehand and had her tone it down.
Sunday, Schmotter said the university does not dictate what speakers say at university events because they should have freedom of speech.
Lindstedt was surprised no one stopped Crier during the speech and at the end of the ceremony Schmotter defended her.
On Sunday, Lindstedt will move to Fayetteville, N.C., to work at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
As a medical services craftsman in Air Refueling Wing 916, she will be part of a team that gives soldiers physicals and other tests to make sure they are physically fit to fly.
Her ultimate plan is to use her psychology degree from WestConn to become a domestic violence counselor for military families. While serving in Biloxi, Miss., she was a certified counselor for sexual assault and domestic violence at a civilian agency.
Note the Bush supporter is a "protester".
Then I found out that LSU got the President. Lucky b******s. >: (
Uhhhhh, right. That's why 95%+ of commencement speakers are left wing? Some balance.
Couldn't tell you who my speaker was--didn't go. I didn't want to spend any more time in the liberal cesspool than I had to.
She would file and trim her fingernails right in the middle of arguments. A friend of mine said they were all shocked that such a lightweight would be viewed as a serious legal mind.
At Boston College, some faculty members didn't want Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as commencement speaker
"Some" = 99%.
Newsflash: Most people don't go to a graduation ceremony to engage in any kind of debate, political or otherwise. They just want to see their loved one get their hard-earned diploma and then go celebrate! Graduation is supposed to be one of those days you can get away from politics, not wallow in it.
When Krista Lindstedt said her heart started pounding, I knew exactly what she meant.
What really pissed me off, were the comments of Catherine Crier:
"..."I wasn't completely surprised (at the protest). I didn't walk away upset because it wasn't perfect. "In an ideal world," she said, "it be great if you could sort of propose different points of view, engaging in ideas, engaging in healthy debate..."
What the HELL does she mean by that? This was the crowning moment of achievement in the lives of many of those graduates out there, and she took their day of celebration, tossed it to the dirt, and made it all about her. She made THEIR day HER soapbox.
This Catherine Crier thinks everything is about herself on that day. A TYPICAL LIBERAL. It's all about ME.
She thinks that this commencement ceremony is just a place to have a debate with someone. This woman is just damned disgusting.
Now my heart is pounding.
I wish I could have seen that. It must have been wonderful.
Don't hold your breath darlin'. You'd do better to take it up with the people in scheduling.
Snakes will bite, ducks will quack and liberals will diss any conservative value.
It's what they do..
it's all they do..
and they won't stop..
EVER!!
I had Admiral Grace Hopper deliver the speech at my graduation. (For the uninitiated...she is the one credited with coining the term "bug" when relating to computers...) She was very personable and gave a nice speech. I liked her immensely.
It's what they do..
it's all they do..
and they won't stop..
EVER!!"
You've got great prose!
I graduated from the University of Minnesota three years ago and my commencement speaker was Judge Thomas Burgdahl from the Intl Court of Justice.
His speech was not as political as Crier's - but he made it clear that the US was a violator of intl law and needed to work harder to build bridges with the "international community".
Many of the students stood up and applauded when he made a comment about war being wrong. I remained in my seat as did a student next to me. I looked at him and rolled my eyes. He nodded in agreement.
I would have much preferred that my long-overdue graduation from college not be marred (sp?) by a one-world idiot judge from a body that no one listens to.
Thanks.
Actually, what I have is a good memory. It's a paraphrase from "The Terminator" ;-)
Billy Graham spoke at mine. Very cool.
You are so correct. Crier went there with rage and a rant that just would not stop.
Yours was a graduation well worth attending....
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