Rutgers Profs Protest Condi Rice As Graduation Speaker

[onehandle]

Source: Philadelphia Magazine

At NewsWorks, Chris Satullo notes that profs at Rutgers’ New Brunswick and Newark campuses are protesting the decision to host Condoleezza Rice, George W. Bush’s national security advisor and secretary of state, as this year’s commencement speaker.

H. Bruce Franklin, an English prof on the Newark campus, put this point pungently (maybe a little too pungently): “What we’re doing is awarding an honorary degree and having a commencement speech from someone who is a war criminal.”

Mr. Franklin and I could probably agree that during the Iraq War the United States did things that violated our constitutional values, as well as Christian morals and common sense. And, yes, Condi Rice was in high office while that went on.

Unhappy that Rice is speaking? Arrange a teach-in on the conduct of the Iraq and Afghanistan war; come up with a plan for a dignified protest at commencement, something that will make the point without spoiling the day for grads and their families.

Read more: http://www.phillymag.com/news/2014/03/17/rutgers-profs-protest-condi-rice-graduation-speaker

[LiberalEsto]

1. Good for the Rutgers faculty!

It's long past time that members of the gangster B*sh administration got treated like the criminals they are.

[billhicks76]

13. She Lied Before Congress

She lied but refused to testify under oath. She is an evil snake. She claimed they had no idea a jetliner could be used as a kamikaze weapon but I saw on CNN in 2000 the US putting up anti-aircraft guns around the island of Genoa for the G8 Meeting because they were, as stated, worried about hijacked airliners being used as kamikaze weapons. The whole 911 official fairy tale is a lie regardless if small minded people can't wrap their brains around it. That is THEIR problem and either their laziness or fear of not wanting to challenge their PREDETERMINED belief systems that would have to be completely reorganized because their premise is wrong. I'm sure Cheney and team got wind off these operational threats in '99 or 2000 and did everything they could to surupticiously facilitate them in order to further their own Project For A New American 2Oth Century agenda of strategic wars for oil and geopolitical dominance in the Middle East and organized repression of freedom at home for massive political control and profit. Rice should be serving life in prison at the very least.

[mithnanthy]

2. She IS a war criminal...

She deserves no respect.

[Demonaut]

3. the writer is worried a protest will ruin the day for the graduates..inviting Rice caused that!

[JackRiddler]

14. A protest would be the favorite part of my graduation!

[Aristus]

4. Sow the wind, Condi,

reap the whirlwind.

Too fucking bad. Have fun playing war? Hope you enjoyed it, because if justice is done, this will follow you around for the rest of your life. Lives the men and women you helped send to Iraq will never get to live for themselves...

[cosmicone]

5. She is a war criminal of the worst kind

She did it out of loyalty and obedience to Bush and Cheney rather than her own free will and thought.

[tabasco]

15. That's a laugh.

You claim Condi Rice was not operating under her own free will?

That's the stupidest thing I've read today.

[cosmicone]

16. I meant to say that

she might have acted differently if she had a different master -- like Rockefeller for example.

I am not doubting her conscious complicity -- she should know right from wrong -- but her zeal to please her masters also played a role.

[Demonaut]

17. such a nice response.............from such a nice person

[underpants]

6. 9/11.... But she didn't lose her job?

[Berlum]

7. "No one could possibly have imagined..." - Condi (R - Torturer)

"...how pathetically misbegotten me and my RepubliCronies would be, and the Hell we would unloose on the world with our lies about the 65+ warnings we ignored before 9/11, our dark side WMD lies, the billions upon billions of US tax dollars we would 'misplace' (smirk) as we exploited the bejabbers out of Iraq, and TORTURED the snot out of its citizens, all to benefit our Republicon Oil Company Cronies. Ha ha. Smirk. Sneer."

- Condi (R - Torturer)

[closeupready]

8. "without spoiling the day" - for most civilized people, her appearance does just THAT.

Spoils what should otherwise be a joyous day.

[olddad56]

11. She spoiled a lot of days for the people of Iraq.

[The Wizard]

9. Christie picked her

and Christie is losing respect every day. Christie and Rice: Perfect together.

[olddad56]

10. Rice Christie - sounds like a cereal

[swilton]

12. Sooner or later

the people will be heard....