Sunday, April 29, 2007

Ralph Nader at UVSC (for BYU, sort of)

I didn't attend the alternative commencement. I draw the line at one commencement a month. Even if the guy who gave Bush the presidency is speaking.

One of my colleagues did go and the comment I got from him was "you should have heard his ideas on health care." So it's just as well I didn't go.

It's interesting that the alternative event was far more political than the official one. Politicizing graduation was one of the original complaints with the Cheney invitation.

Unfortunately, news reports suggest that Nader did not follow Mike's first law of graduation speaking, which is, be short, be uplifting and sit down.

Serious kudos to the students who arranged it. It strengthens my hope in the future of our democracy.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

The political nature of the alternative event was something I noticed too. This was more like a political rally than a commencement.

Anonymous said...

his ideas on healthcare were pretty much the best idea i've heard from anyone of any political stripe in a long time.

and, to be honest, Ralph Nader represents the honest family values that BYU allegedly espouses waaaaay better than a terrorist like Dick Cheney.

Mike Jones said...

Anonymous,

If you believe that Cheney is a terrorist, then present your case, let's get the guy impeached (I believe that bill is pending) and move on.

What is your argument for labeling him as a terrorist?

In another thread, Tony Barney asked Democrats to identify specific Republican issues on which LDS Democrats flatly disagree because of their beliefs. Nobody has done so there.

Maybe you could enlighten us with specific issues on which Nader better represents BYU's family values.

Anonymous said...

Terrorism is defined by the US Department of Defense as "the unlawful use of -- or threatened use of -- force or violence against individuals or property to coerce or intimidate governments or societies, often to achieve political, religious, or ideological objectives."

Sounds alot like the case for war Cheney helped fashion against Iraq, doesn't it?

Next: Torture, of which Cheney specifically endorses ("It's a no-brainer") is not only against God, but a more personal form of terrorism.

Think about the contrast between Nader and Cheney there, who is more Christ-like? Nader preaches healing people and Cheney goes on TV to defend his ideals to torture them.

Anonymous said...

I guess you forgot to post my last response....