New York Times Reporter Booed Off the Stage

Seamax ^ | 5/29/2003 | Fr. Michael Reilly

[Hugenot]

By . Posted 7:28:00 AM The New York Times scandal seems to be deepening on a daily basis as the Rockford Register Star reports that a Times reporter was booed off the stage during a commencement address.

This past Saturday, New York Times reporter Chris Hedges was literally unable to finish his speech at Rockford College's graduation, because the graduates and their families were unwilling to sit through an antiwar diatribe.

His 18 minute speech denouncing the United States as a tyranny over the weak ended after only three minutes as his microphone was unplugged.

Meanwhile, the audience reacted with loud boos and blaring foghorns. Some stood and turned their backs on the speakers, while others rushed up the aisle to protest the remarks. One student hurled his cap and gown on to the stage before leaving.

Kevin O'Neill, who attended his wife's graduation, lamented “This is a ceremony. ... The day belongs to the students. It doesn't belong to a political view.”

As more reporters are swept into the maelstrom of scandal at the New York Times, it's time for the leadership to begin answering some questions.

Are we really to believe that they are unaware of the problems? More important, are we really to believe anything we read in the Times?

[sirchtruth]

Are we really to believe that they are unaware of the problems?

It's not a question of whether or not they know they have problems.

The question is do they care? Liberals are selfish, and selfish people do not care. Therefore their destruction is coming.

That's why the word "idiot" was invented.

[TigerLikesRooster]

RE #1

NYT seems unable to pass itself as anything close to the "mainstream" as it used to. It used to get away with the label of "mainstream". Now it is turning into a lonely enclave of besieged liberal hold-outs.

I hope they eventually jump from their "Banzai Cliff" as some Japanese did in Pacific islands during WWII. Somehow I feel I am too optimistic.:)

[Lee'sGhost]

Is this a SECOND instance of a NYT reporter being booed off the stage or a reposting of the first instance?

[mware]

This is the same one. Happen in Rockford, Ill.

[Conspiracy Guy]

I'm not sure but some days I see the same thing happen 5 or 6 times. It is downright scary. Glad I wasn't at the ceremony. Assault and battery charges would be a dark spot on my graduate's special day.

[aardvark1]

I don't get the impression this was about the NYT or its truobles but about the topic the speaker chose. Incidents like this just go to show that politicians and journalists need to get out more. Politicians stay in DC and have no idea what's going on outside the beltway and journalists stare at their computer screens or the TV digesting what other liberals are saying and get the idea that everyone thinks like they do.

[Savage Beast]

"Are we really to believe that they are unaware of the problems?"

It depends on whether they are fools or scoundrels.

"More important, are we really to believe anything we read in the Times?"

..."the Times" or any other "mainstream newsmedia" outlet?

Frankly, many of us desregarded these misleading and irrelevant propaganda organs years ago.

[AmericanVictory]

Maybe they were never quite as main in the stream as they liked to think.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

reporter booed

[DEPUTYMAYTAG]

ARE WE TO BELIEVE ANYTHING FROM THE TIMES?
Hell no !

[You Dirty Rats]

True, but it's not exactly a shock to find out that a speaker from the NY Times is an antiwar zealot and that the speech given for a graduation was totally inappropriate.

The school should learn from its experience and next time invite someone from a more reputable publication (like the National Enquirer) to speak in the future.

The Times needs to find a more qualified person to run their paper. I nominate Ed Norton. He's a New Yorker, he's used to dealing with sewage, and he's no more fictional than what the paper publishes now.

[laotzu]

Paul Harvey reported yesterday how Phil Donahue was booed off-stage at another commencement for the same reasons.

God!! I love this country.

[razorback-bert]

HOWELL RAINES GETS SERIOUS!

Today's NYTimes's corrections: working hard to restore readers' confidence:

"An obituary on Monday about Pepper LaBeija, a leading performer at drag balls in Harlem, misattributed comments in a Village Voice interview about giving up shoplifting of high-fashion garments. They were made by Gerald Dupree LaBeija, a member of the House of LaBeija troupe, not by Pepper LaBeij"

[Liz]

Hey, you don't want the Times to say the wrong thing about Howell and Pinch's friend, do you? LOL.

[NonValueAdded]

What is the opposite of "breaking news"? Answer, this post.

[frogandtoad]

Note that this was a REPORTER, not a COLUMNIST. By taking a controversial position he has, unlike a columnist, lost his objectivity, or appearance of objectivity. The Times should fire him for this breach of journalistic ethics.

[ontos-on]

Gee, I would like to post a story about a statue of Saddam Hussein gettign toppled in Baghdad, with a little help from the Marines. Would that be a proper post? [ :) ]

[Issaquahking]

Booed off the stage? Great! Just goes to prove no matter how many liberal pukers the college has as staff or students, common sense will prevail for the average American. I'm sorry for the students who's graduation ceremony was ruined, but hats off to them for taking a stand against this jerk.