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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCondi Rice as DU'ers Remember Her...Thanks to DU'er "Swamp Rat" for this Image from the "Way Back"
Condoleezza Rice Backs Out of Rutgers Speech After Student ProtestsBy EMMA G. FITZSIMMONSMAY 3, 2014
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who had been invited to give the commencement address at Rutgers University in New Jersey this month, said on Saturday that she would no longer give the speech. Her announcement came after weeks of protests by some students and faculty members over the universitys decision to invite her.
Protesters had argued that Ms. Rice should not have been selected as the speaker because of her involvement in the Iraq war during the Bush administration. Students staged a sit-in last week outside the office of the universitys president, Robert L. Barchi, to protest the speech, scheduled for May 18th.
On Saturday, Ms. Rice released a statement saying that she did not want to detract from the days festivities.
Commencement should be a time of joyous celebration for the graduates and their families, the statement said. Rutgers invitation to me to speak has become a distraction for the university community at this very special time.
I am honored to have served my country, she added. I have defended Americas belief in free speech and the exchange of ideas. These values are essential to the health of our democracy.
Mr. Barchi had defended the universitys selection of Ms. Rice, saying that it was important for Rutgers to protect free speech and academic freedom.
Whatever your personal feelings or political views about our commencement speaker, there can be no doubt that Condoleezza Rice is one of the most influential intellectual and political figures of the last 50 years, Mr. Barchi wrote in a letter to the university community in March.
On Saturday, Mr. Barchi said that the university stands fully behind the invitation to Ms. Rice but respected her decision not to participate. The university, which is a state university, said it would soon announce who would replace her.
The fee for the speech, which Ms. Rice will not collect, was $35,000.
to NYC_SKP for finding this in DU archive for me.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/04/nyregion/rice-backs-out-of-rutgers-speech-after-student-protests.html
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)He posted a few times after Katrina to say he was OK, then dropped out of sight. I miss him and his creative talents here on DU.
ChisolmTrailDem
(9,463 posts)MadLinguist
(790 posts)Come back, come back, SwampRat!
If he popped in, really, ask him to swing by from time to time.
Mnemosyne
(21,363 posts)grasswire
(50,130 posts)....with her hus...boss leering at her.
CrispyQ
(36,478 posts)At first glance, the little red skulls almost pass for roses.
K&R for Swamp Rat!
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)Whatever became of Swampie? We all miss him!
Dragonfli
(10,622 posts)Tuesday Afternoon
(56,912 posts)CrispyQ
(36,478 posts)I have an old computer in my 2nd bedroom with a ton of his stuff on it. I should fire it up & copy it all. It was classic Bush era stuff. Loved it!
Response to KoKo (Original post)
JohnnyRingo This message was self-deleted by its author.
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)chknltl
(10,558 posts)Wherever our fellow DUer who called himself Swamp-Rat is, I hope he fares well.
gratuitous
(82,849 posts)I guess Mr. Barchi was too late to book Jeffrey Dahmer, who had a similar record as an intellectual and political figure. Oh, and Dr. Rice? The country would be in a far better place right now without your service.
Johonny
(20,851 posts)Javaman
(62,530 posts)progressoid
(49,991 posts)Johonny
(20,851 posts)My views aren't personal, I just think a war criminal and torture advocate should perhaps not speak at your school. Only Republicans can make torture "political." Hell they make science, math, economics, religion, medical care political. It won't belong before calling the sky blue is "just politics."
cascadiance
(19,537 posts)to a degree in international studies, which got her in to the S.O.S. position like Ms. Albright. My dad also had Mr. Korbel as his faculty advisor at Denver in earlier times. I was sorely reminded of this when I got back from seeing him pass away over a weekend when I watched a PVR copy of Laura Flanders' GRITtv show on FSTV that aired the day after he died that coincidentally had her interviewing a guy who did a documentary on Condy Rice that talked about this relationship with Dr. Korbel. She will always have a dark side in many of my memories.