graduation speeches

[sbtorpey]

E. L. Doctorow got an honorary degree at Hofstra's graduation this weekend. Then he tried to make his scheduled speech. As a professional storyteller, he critiqued some of the stories told in the past few years by some other folks. His transition was that politicians and presidents tell stories, too, and that whether we like it or not we all

Comments

[eviladmin]

I have to say, that definitely violated the don't be controversial (unless also inspiring) code of graduation speeches (unless you are an "officially controversial figure" in which case you have some additional license). Still, the parents were way out of line. The accepted appropriate response is to not clap at the end. I have heard a lot of graduation speeches over time and the majority of them were not particularly political, and none of them were particularly partisan (save some of the student speakers). George Will was political, in the sense that he talked about individual responsibility, but non-partisan in the sense that formal politics were not mentioned, and it was inspiring. Ditto for most of the Ambassadors I have heard. Even Politicians know better. Sigh.

[auros]

Even Politicians know better.

Well, aside from the current batch, who tend to use any public appearance as a barely-veiled campaign event, even if it's beign paid for with gov't funds...

McCain gave a rather good speech at my graduation. *shrug*

[anemone]

I think the booing reaction is certainly out of line. But I also think graduation speeches should not be that type of political, or that politics should be explicitly non-partisan.

Doctorow on NPR

[anonymous]

Doctorow comments on the boos received at Hofstra in this NPR "Web-Extra" piece:

http://www.npr.org/display_pages/features/feature_1975374.html