Condi Rice honorary degree stirs debate at Boston College

<p>What a coup to have someone of her caliber speak at commencement! She is erudite and brilliant. I may not always agree with her or all commencement speakers, for that matter, but to hear her speak should give rise to discussion, and isn't that what education is about? To listen to all sides, learn, study, and make your own decision? Do we or do we not have the right to free speech? If we are teaching our kids that we should only to people who agree with us, then we are worse for that. Dialogue brings about resolution and agreement. And having her speak is what one author calls a rocking chair moment - when we are old on the porch rocking and telling our grandchildren about our lives, this is something that will always stick with us. We can discuss what was said, who she was, the war and the times and bring history to life for them. I, for one, would be very happy to have her speak at D's commencement, but by then, she will be out of office (or will she?)</p>

<p>Cavalier,</p>

<p>Interesting comment, though I don't think it is accurate. Guess you are not a fan of BC.</p>

<p>Based upon what I have read over the last year this should keep Fr. Leahy, the president of BC, happy. He complained that the school has a great number of bright socially conscious students but there is no real debate on campus. I guess this is a start . . .</p>

<p>I was being sarcastic, Eagle. I think it's great that Condi is speaking - and they would think it was great, too, if she were more in line with the stereotype of the black leader in this country - liberal.</p>

<p>The idiocy continues...John McCain announced as the commencement speaker at The New School in Manhattan.
[quote]
But hundreds of students, staff and faculty members at the institution of about 9,000 students have signed paper and online petitions that seek to revoke the invitation.

[/quote]
Maybe colleges should just band together and organize a single tele-commencement speaker for the entire academic community. I suggest Katrina vanden Heuvel.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/05/05/mccain%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/05/05/mccain&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>If the New School had chosen Zacarias Moussoui to speak at its commencement, I bet the uproar would be less than for a moderate Conservative like McCain.</p>

<p>with their popularity at an all time low why would any university invite anyone in the bush-cheney-rumsfeld-rice axis to speak at its' commencement?</p>

<p>no one packs 'em in like movie stars,..</p>

<p>Ms Rice is not Catholic so she shouldn't be expected to hold to any Catholic teachings. And, she isn't there to speak about anything that is against Church teachings. Although she may be privately "pro-choice," she doesn't have a history of actively supporting it (i.e. lobbying for pro-abortion legislation, lobbying against pro-life legislation).</p>

<p>As for such things as war, death penalty, and abortion: The Catholic church teaches that abortion is ALWAYS wrong - no matter WHAT the circumstances (intrinsically evil). The church does not have such stances against war or the death penalty. People can actively support the war (and PARTICIPATE in the war and buy things for the war) and support the death penalty (and even work on death row!) and still be Catholics in "good standing." Catholics can even support legalized divorce without fear of "sinning." The same can't be said about those who perform abortions or actively support abortion. </p>

<p>Those who equate the Iraq war, nuclear weapons, the death penalty and abortion (when speaking about Catholic teaching) are just plain wrong. If the four were equally wrong in the eyes of the church, Catholic soldiers would be told to use "religious objections" to get placed elsewhere, Catholics wouldn't be allowed to work on death row, and Catholic engineers would not be allowed to design nuclear weapons. However, Catholic doctors are forbidden from performing abortions; the fact that a few do it anyway is irrelevant.</p>

<p>The latest on this from the Boston Globe:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2006/05/09/efforts_mount_against_bcs_rice_invitation/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2006/05/09/efforts_mount_against_bcs_rice_invitation/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>A few notes of summary:</p>

<p>
[quote]
"[Fr.]Leahy, addressing a regularly scheduled faculty meeting, ''made it very clear that it was not going to be rescinded"

[/quote]
</p>

<p>and</p>

<p>
[quote]
Former Boston College professor Mary Daly, a feminist theologian who clashed with the college over her refusal to admit men to her classes, made a rare appearance on the campus to speak.</p>

<p>''It is traumatic for me to be here," she told the Globe. ''It's the first time I've come to campus since they kicked me out in 2001. But I'm here because I am so angry. My anger brought me here."

[/quote]
</p>

<p>My personal summary, Mary Daly does not help the cause or those that want to rescind the invitation and honorary degree to Dr. Rice.</p>

<p>Probably the most important comment came at the and of the article:</p>

<p>
[quote]
We have a good discussion going on," said Rev. David Hollenbach, one of the two theologians who wrote the first letter of opposition to circulate among faculty. ''There has been more talk about the Iraq war and what can be done about it in the past days than there has been in a long time.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>At the end of the day this may be because Condi Rice is a graduate of ND. ;-)</p>

<p>Why were these priests lobbying against Ms Rice when they didn't lobby against their own professor Mary Daly because she is vehemently pro abortion? Hypocrites. </p>

<p>At the end of the day this IS because she is a Republican.</p>

<p>Actually Mary Daly was long viewed as a crackpot by many at BC. They could not do anything about her because she had been granted tenure. Note that the university did get rid of her.</p>

<p>for a brief article on this see:</p>

<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Daly%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Daly&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>(I love the Wikipedia)</p>

<p>Having Condi speak must be a good idea, if Mary Daly opposes it. And yes, jlauer, the opposition IS because she is a Republican. So much for the left being champions of free speech.</p>

<p>Maryc,</p>

<p>Actually it appears that their view is a bit more nuanced than that. 2 things:</p>

<ul>
<li>They have not asked that she not speak, just that she not be awarded an honorary doctorate. (The first paragraph of the most recent article seems to have changed the original request but note the later paragraph on the arm-band, no honorary doctorate is their message).</li>
<li>Clearly there are those that support her speaking, i.e. Father Leahy.</li>
</ul>

<p>I suspect that there are more Republicans on the BC faculty than at Harvard. I wonder what the response would have been there.</p>

<p>mary daly was not viewed as a "crack pot" becuz of her views on abortion. BC wanted to get rid of her becuz she repeatedly violated school policy and fed policy regarding equal access to her classes. she was given tenure even tho she was vocally pro-abortion.</p>

<p>Therefore my statement still stands. Those priests (and others) are hypocrites for not being upset that Daly was given tenure and not insisting that her proabortion views were "not consistent with Church teaching". Abortion is intrinsically evil (always wrong) ... war is not.</p>

<p>Eagle writes "I suspect that there are more Republicans on the BC faculty than at Harvard.."</p>

<p>Number of Republicans on BC faculty............... 1
Number of Republicans on Havard's faculty .......0</p>

<p>Yep, you're right. There are more Republicans on BC's faculty then there are on Harvards...</p>

<p>Regardless, Mary Daly was (and still is) viewed as a crackpot.</p>

<p>Additionally having pro-abortion views is not an impediment to a professorship within the theology department. However it is an impediment to teaching that abortion is the position of the catholic church.</p>

<p>Back to the subject at hand. It appears that there is an opening at BC for them to hire another Republican. One of their professors has quit over Condi Rice speaking at graduation:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/05/12/condoleezza_rice_at_boston_college_i_quit/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/05/12/condoleezza_rice_at_boston_college_i_quit/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>"Student activist Reena Parikh, a senior English major, found a **contradiction in BC's taking a Catholic teaching stance against abortion and gay rights, while at the same time inviting Rice to accept an honorary degree.</p>

<p>''Boston College has selectively chosen which Catholic teachings it's going to privilege and which ideas of Catholic teaching it's going to censor**," Parikh said."</p>

<p>Emphasis mine.</p>

<p>abortion and gay sex are considered to be "always evil" according to the Catholic Church. that is NOT the same as war. The church does not say that war is always evil. That is the difference.</p>

<p>As jlauer says there is a distinction. Within church teaching there is the doctrine of a just war. There is always much debate on what a just war is.</p>

<p>There are other things within the church which are viewed in a very black and white manner, i.e. abortion is "intrinsically evil". On most catholic campuses they will allow a pro-choice group as a club but it can not receive funds from the school nor can it carry the name of the school. It is the distinction between allowing the discussion and debate while at the same time showing that they do not sponsor a particular point of view that is conflict with church teaching.</p>

<p>Regarding your quote, I find it interesting because I believe that Condi Rice is pro-choice and a supporter of gay rights. So which things is BC censoring or advocating? Abortion, War or Gay rights?</p>

<p>No matter who the commencement speaker is, there will be complaints.</p>

<p>For the two BC commencements I attended (one for my brother, one for myself), we had two political figures: Janet</a> Reno and Richard</a> Riley, the Secretary of Education at that time. Both, though Reno more than Riley, drew protest.</p>

<p>Regarding Mary Daly, if you're familiar with academic</a> freedom, you know that a professor can't be penalized for ideas. Excluding men from class, yes. Being pro-abortion, no. I was doing my grad work at BC during the build up to her "expulsion" and was working there when she was actually sent packing. Good riddance! A true educator would allow all voices at the table.</p>

<p>Which, interestingly, is the reason I have no problem with Rice speaking. I find conferting and honor on her a bit problematic, but realize that the awarding of an honorary degree comes along with having a commencement speaker.</p>