Posted on 05/13/2017 9:16:43 AM PDT by Altura Ct.
Concerns about an ugly student confrontation prompted Texas Southern University in Houston to cancel a scheduled commencement address Saturday by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, the second-ranking Republican in the Senate.
The decision at the historically black college comes amid a student petition demanding that Cornyn be blocked from speaking and urging that all graduating students and their families "express their discontent" if he does. By Friday, 863 people had signed the petition on change.org, an online activist petition network.
The school's decision comes amid a growing national debate about free speech on college campuses, following increasingly frequent student protests and several high-profile cancellations, mostly directed at conservative speakers.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was booed at a commencement address this week at Bethune-Cookman University, a black college in Daytona Beach, Florida. It also comes weeks after protests led a student group at the University of California at Berkeley to pull the plug on a speech by conservative commentator Ann Coulter. That decision followed clashes over President Donald Trump, and the cancellation of an appearance by right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopouloswas amid destructive student disturbances.
DeVos, amid heckling, boos, and gown-clad graduates turning their backs, could be seen on news footage Wednesday appealing for respectful dissent. "Let's choose to hear each other out," she said.
Cornyn aides said the decision to cancel his appearance was the school's, not his. "Sen. Cornyn was honored to be invited to address TSU's graduates, but he respects the administration's decision and looks forward to continuing to engage with the University in the future," said a Cornyn spokesman.
(Excerpt) Read more at m.chron.com ...
I remember a liberal complaining that Trump did not have enough black children at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll and I said they probably afraid of shaming or shunning if they attended.
Evil is loose in America.
I wonder how few of those 863 signers were students.
+1
Cancel the entire ceremony and just mail them their degree with a cover letter properly blaming their choice for the cause.
And during the next election campaign we’ll be hearing from ‘rats and dupe ‘pubs that Republicans are evil racists because they never pay attention to blacks and their concerns......
Bingo!!! You beat me to it.Obviously they don't want graduation. Mail the diplomas, starting in August.
I have heard, and said, way to many sayings that apply here. Three in particular are “throw the baby out with the bathwater,” “don’t cut off your nose to spite your face,” and the third which should really be applied, and my father’s favorite one, “don’t defecate* where you eat.” Maybe the college should have had a seminar on intelligence and introduction to common sense. Something about a gift horse.......
rwood
*not exactly that word but the boards probably wouldn’t allow the real one.
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