EDIT = June 4, 2008, in bold.
Left: Furman University professors silently protest during President George W. Bush's commencement speech at Furman University yesterday.
The Greenville News has removed all photos of any protests at Furman, with three very polite, somewhat tepid exceptions. The rest of the photo galleries are all positive, and you would not realize there was an extensive, all-day demonstration from looking through the existing posted photo galleries. The original photo I used is no longer available. (I wonder why?) Professors obviously rate inclusion, but Code Pink doesn't.
My original photo description: Code Pink member protesting President George W. Bush's commencement speech at Furman University yesterday. Greenville News photo by Gwinn Davis.
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As I said yesterday, I missed the anti-Bush demonstration at Furman. Some excerpts from the commencement speech, in which Bush cutsified it up:
I am proud to be joined by my friend and an outstanding leader of South Carolina: Governor Mark Sanford, Class of 1983. Governor, I’m not going to ask if you ever got caught “swimming in the fountains.” Twenty-five years ago, the governor sat where you now sit – as a member of his graduating class. As it happens, the commencement speaker that year was my Dad. This means that some at Furman will have heard graduation speeches from two generations of Bushes. This is a great step forward for the Bush family, and a great step backward for your English Department.Ohhhh, she chortled, how cute is that? Meanwhile, as GWB jokes about bank accounts, some people won't be going to college, ever. That has never concerned him.
My family has other ties with Furman. In the early 1930’s, a student named Willa Martin graduated from the women’s college that soon became part of Furman. Willa went on to marry my mother’s father. She also spent time as a columnist for the Associated Press, thus beginning the long history of warm relations between the Bush family and the media.
And some people, soldiers in particular, won't even be coming back home. Sparse mention of that in the text.
It's probably best that Blueblood Bush stays behind the gates of the expensive, private schools; a public school commencement audience might try to roast his sorry ass on a BBQ-spit.
Apologies for my lack of churchly sentiments this sabbath. Even Jesus got mad when the situation called for it.
If you pray, pray for our troops.
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Bob Dylan - Masters of War
