Putting away my Rutgers apparel
Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 3:21 pm
Every once in a while, I wear my Rutgers hat or hoodie, like to poker tournaments or such. No more. I am embarrassed by my Alma mater, for a lot of things lately, but most of all because they let a small group of political bigots insult Condi Rice and deprive the students and faculty of hearing a point of view that might be different than their own.
I emailed the president of the University, Robert Barchi, expressing my disappointment in my Alma Mater becoming a bastion for intolerance and bigotry to anything but liberal speech. He emailed back, (probably a form letter) saying he did everything he could to keep Ms Rice as the Commencement speaker. Maybe he did. But the fact remains that a small group of loud mouth and intolerant fascists got their way, and it reflects badly on the reputation of that institution.
They paid Snookie $30,000+ to appear on the campus, but God forbid a conservative voice be given a chance to speak there. They replaced Ms Rice with an old democratic governor Thomas Kean, and botched an invitation to Eric LeGrande. I have nothing but respect for Eric, who is a close friend of my nephew, and who would have been an inspirational choice by himself as a commencement speaker, and I am glad he will get an opportunity to speak as well as Gov Kean. But it is really disgusting that the State University of New Jersey would treat any accomplished person like Condi Rice the way they did, simply because she is perceived as 'conservative'.
I emailed the president of the University, Robert Barchi, expressing my disappointment in my Alma Mater becoming a bastion for intolerance and bigotry to anything but liberal speech. He emailed back, (probably a form letter) saying he did everything he could to keep Ms Rice as the Commencement speaker. Maybe he did. But the fact remains that a small group of loud mouth and intolerant fascists got their way, and it reflects badly on the reputation of that institution.
They paid Snookie $30,000+ to appear on the campus, but God forbid a conservative voice be given a chance to speak there. They replaced Ms Rice with an old democratic governor Thomas Kean, and botched an invitation to Eric LeGrande. I have nothing but respect for Eric, who is a close friend of my nephew, and who would have been an inspirational choice by himself as a commencement speaker, and I am glad he will get an opportunity to speak as well as Gov Kean. But it is really disgusting that the State University of New Jersey would treat any accomplished person like Condi Rice the way they did, simply because she is perceived as 'conservative'.
--Bob