A historically black university in Texas has canceled an upcoming commencement speech by Republican Sen. John Cornyn after students protested.The Senate majority whip was scheduled to speak Saturday at Texas Southern University’s graduation ceremony in Houston, but the school announced Friday morning that the speech had been canceled.“We asked Senator Cornyn to instead visit with our students again at a future date in order to keep the focus on graduates and their families,” the school said in a statement posted on Facebook. “We, along with Senator Cornyn, agree that the primary focus of commencement should be a celebration of academic achievement.”The school said Democratic Texas Reps. Al Green and Sheila Jackson Lee are scheduled to speak at the ceremony, CNN reported.A spokeswoman for Mr. Cornyn said the senator respected the school’s decision.“Sen. Cornyn was honored to be invited to address TSU’s graduates, but he respects the administration’s decision and looks forward to continuing to engage with the university in the future,” she told CNN.
An online petition calling for Mr. Cornyn’s speech to be canceled had reached more than 850 signatures before the school’s announcement. The petition accused the senator of using his political power “in ways that continually harm marginalized and oppressed people.”
After hearing about the school’s decision, the author of the petition issued a victory statement.
“Congratulations!” Rebecca Trevino wrote. “This could not have been possible without your help! By signing and sharing this petition, YOU have made this happen!”
The reversal comes two days after Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos was booed while giving a commencement speech at Bethune-Cookman University, a historically black university in Daytona Beach, Florida.This "marginalized and oppressed people" nonsense looks pretty damn silly in light of how effective said people are at getting school administrations to cave to any and all demands.
And frustration at seeing these terse, gracious responses from those on the receiving end of this thuggery goes with the territory in 2017, I suppose. Anything stronger is going to get them painted with the you-know-what label. That is, get another coat of such paint added, a "now-we-have-what-we-need-to-really-bring-you-down" coat of such paint.
I struggle with race all the time, I have friends of all races, yet when I stand in front of one of them I first see, you are black, you are Asian, you are latin. That is first how I see them, I am differentiate by race most certainly. Then I realize they are doing the same I am white, and they have every reason of being suspicious of me to.
ReplyDeleteBut you don't want to see any of them prevented from, say, acting on speaking opportunities.
ReplyDeletePretty much, we all have our priories, and those may included flawed prejudice, we are created equal.
ReplyDeleteThe attack on our press is unprecedented in modern times and reminds me of Bismarck & the Kiser 1900 Germany. Democracy is freedom of speech.
That's a key element, for sure.
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