Controversy lingers after UMUC speech some considered anti-American

[lebkuchen]

**One has to wonder what these military university graduates learned in school. This is another example of how the thin-skinned RWers can't deal with the truth. Does the article quote one section of the speech that had offended these graduates? No.

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=29730

A local expert on German-American relations recently gave new University of Maryland graduates something to talk about — and, in some cases, chant about — with a commencement address some thought bashed America.

“He starting talking about 2002 State of the Union address, the axis of evil, you’re either with us or against us — and that’s when it started going downhill,” said Cheryl Atwood, a commissary technology specialist who received her Bachelor of Science degree at the May 29 ceremony.

“At first, I thought, “I’m being overly sensitive.’ Then I heard somebody in the back shouting ‘USA! USA!’ and I thought, ‘Maybe I’m not taking it wrong.’ Several people got up and left and people stood up waving, telling him to sit down.”

<cut>

While he was speaking — about the “almost free fall of the reputation of the U.S.,” which he credited to several Bush administration policies, foremost, the “unilateral self-empowerment of the United States through the doctrine of the pre-emptive strike” — Junker wasn’t sure what was happening with the crowd of more than 1,000 people.

[merwin]

1. Yeah, it's completely unpatriotic to disagree with the pResident.

Yup.

[lebkuchen]

4. It's amazing how little our armed forces know about democracy

even after graduating from a university, which begs the question, are colleges lowering their standards to "keep pace" with the army?

[merwin]

6. I think the lower standards comes from the lower pay/budget producing

lower quality and/or unprepared teachers

[lebkuchen]

9. Well, I'd like a copy of the speech.

If I can get it, I will post.

[lebkuchen]

23. Here is Professor Junker's speech. It's great. You'll love it.

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=29768

[Kerrytravelers]

2. College graduated can't handle being forced to think.

That's what happening.

[lebkuchen]

3. It's that time of year, when academia "meets" Limbaugh

Rush ought to open up his own university.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

8. You're more right than you know

Too many colleges treat students as customers who must be satisfied. Or at least their tuition-paying parents must be satisfied, and that usually means training young Tyler and Ashley to assume a corporate job, preferably without giving them "ideas."

The result is administrators who are overly sensitive to parents' complaints, who tell faculty not to be so hard on the students, and who base departmental budgets on enrollment, sometimes even axing departments that aren't sufficiently popular.

I'm speaking as a disgruntled ex-academic.

[saigon68]

5. The ignorant thugs will kill you

If you disagree with them

Especially over the highest anointed THUG " THE CHIMPANZEE".

[lebkuchen]

7. I don't mean to be hyperbolic when I say

that the US isn't too far from repeating the history that took place in front of Humboldt University in Berlin, as well as other universities throughout German, in 1933, in the name of “Action against the Un-German Spirit.”

[saigon68]

12. That is happening here today at "Clear Channel Patriot Rallies"

Show up with your "Bush is a War Criminal" Poster at one of these

And those mindless Jack-Boot Fuckers will, "STOMP" you to Death.

[annabanana]

15. does anyone have pictures of this?. . . . n/t

[stevans_41902]

11. I hate it when foreigners get a bad rap for being anti- American,

when really they are just educated and concerned about what Bush is doing to the USA and the world. Does anyone have the transcript to his speech? Being a German minor I am especially interested in what a German -American relations professor has to say. Shame on the bastard who called him a Nazi - they are the ones who are blindly following a tyranical leader.

[Carolab]

10. Good man. And the Director who stood up for him too.

After all, this is Jefferson’s first principle: Americans cannot be both ignorant and free.”

Amen.

[madrchsod]

13. they can`t handle the truth and

they are so shallow....

[Zhade]

14. Dealing with true believers is dangerous.

These guys are fucking NUTS.

[rodeodance]

16. herd mentality in this case (below).

......“At first, I thought, “I’m being overly sensitive.’ Then I heard somebody in the back shouting ‘USA! USA!’ and I thought, ‘Maybe I’m not taking it wrong.’ Several people got up and left and people stood up waving, telling him to sit down.”

[realcountrymusic]

17. commissary technology?

" . . . said Cheryl Atwood, a commissary technology specialist who received her Bachelor of Science degree at the May 29 ceremony. . . . ."


You got to college now to learn how to organize the shelves in a cafeteria. This country is screwed,.

[The_Casual_Observer]

24. It means institutional cooking school. One of those "21st century" jobs

bush was talking about.

[PunkPop]

18. Ahh yes.

The "Ignorant Americans Who Can't Deal with the Truth" story of the day.

I love these stories. What defective units these asshats are. Give them credit. Some managed to get all the way through college with less than half a brain.

[northzax]

19. some rah rah for Commisary technology Specialist Atwood.

But Golembe, who’s been with the University of Maryland Heidelberg program for the past 26 years, said Junker’s speech fell squarely within the tradition of college commencement speeches. There are basically two types, he said. One type is full of praise for graduates’ accomplishments.

That’s what Atwood had hoped to hear. “For graduation I want to hear feel-good stuff: ‘Way to go! You did great!’ ” she said.

you want a rah-rah speech, hire Tony Fucking Robbins. don't hire a scholar to blow smoke up your ass.

And as someone who has attended more graduations that I ever wanted to, let me tell Commissary Specialist Atwood a little secret, no one listens to the commencement speaker And if, after earning a sheepskin, you still need someone to pay you on the head, you missed the entire idea.

[Peregrine]

20. UMUC is a continuing education college

part of Univ. of Maryland, but providing educational services to those who work. Most of the graduates were probably in their 30's and receiving business degrees. They probably believe their new MBAs will earn them thousands more a year, not that this country is hosed and their MBA's are irrelevant.

[damntexdem]

21. Nyah, nyah, nyah, I don't want to hear anything said against ...

St. Dubya.

And this is what these folks think after hearing a German FRIEND of the U.S.! Well, by all means, it IS important to kill the bearer of bad news.

[Igel]

22. Does anybody else see the humor in the speaker's surname?

Junker: A member of the Prussian landed aristocracy, a class formerly associated with political reaction and militarism.

(quoted from http://www.bartleby.com/61/39/J0083900.html)