Tony Blair heckled during graduation address at Maine college

[alp227]

Last edited Mon May 21, 2012, 01:15 AM - Edit history (1)

Source: The Guardian

Former British prime minister Tony Blair was heckled by protesters as he tried to issue a plea for world unity during a college commencement speech.

Blair was interrupted by a small group of demonstrators as he attempted to deliver a speech in front of 400 graduates at Colby College in Maine.

Police say the activists shouted "warmonger" and "war criminal" during the address. One person was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

Waterville police said the trouble began after Blair took to the podium.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/may/20/tony-blair-heckled-maine-college

[frazzled]

1. "Corby" College? (giggle)

Make that Colby. I think the local paper is a better source for this story than the Guardian. There were 4 protesters, who apparently weren't students (the one arrested was 53). There were 470 graduates and presumably a lot of families.

http://bangordailynews.com/2012/05/20/education/one-protester-arrested-as-tony-blair-addresses-colby-graduates/

[beac]

2. From your linked article, it appears one of the protesters was an alumna.

And shame on Colby for inviting that war criminal to speak and on all 400 members of the graduating class for standing there like sheep and applauding him. Disgraceful.



As an aside... Blair's speech sounds like the worst kind of graduation speaker pablum w/out a single original thought or idea.

[Po_d Mainiac]

7. The more local paper

http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/Protestors-disrupt-Tony-Blairs-speech-at-Colby-graduation.html

[yellowcanine]

11. Being age 53 doesn't mean the person was not a student.

It is not a safe assumption. Besides, they could have been alumni, faculty or the parent of a student. All would have a reason for being there and being upset that Blair was speaking at the college.

[MNBrewer]

3. As well he should be

I used to think he was terrific, but in retrospect, that was only because he was so often standing next to George Bush II. Bush made Blair look so wonderful.

[Jumping John]

4. this is how I see Blair:

[cstanleytech]

9. Odd thats how I see Bush and Cheney with

Blair being more like the wannabe.

[Politicalboi]

5. What, No

Bush's Poodle?

[Solly Mack]

6. There's nothing like torture to inspire "world unity".

Fuck Blair.

[harmonicon]

8. One person who was there should have been arrested, but that person wasn't a heckler. (nt)

[T_i_B]

10. He would have been heckled far worse in the UK.

But then again even his electioneering came to be done from a distance, surrounded by loyal Labour party members with as little chance as possible of being buttonholed by a member of the public.

[mainer]

12. Quite surprised that Colby invited him

It's an excellent college, with progressive values.

[elleng]

13. Yes. My brother attended Colby.

Presumably 'inviting' him doesn't mean agreeing with everything he's done.


'Blair's address took the form of an appeal for international cooperation and for people to try to understand other cultures.

According the Bangor Daily News, Blair told gathered graduates to be leaders, not followers.

The newspaper added that the 59-year-old former PM told the students: "Above all else, be a do-er and not a critic. Human experience has never been shaped by commentators, critics or cynics."

Blair stepped down as UK prime minister in 2007.

Since then, he has served as the envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East, representing the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations in working with Palestinians to prepare for statehood.'

[carla]

14. Tony

B Liar is a well known charlatan and conman who deserves much more than ridicule, he deserves a seat at a war crimes trial, the seat next to the judge...I get nauseous seeing his hypocrite smile and his oh so pious words about a concept of which he is entirely ignorant. Tony BLiar is the crap I clean off my shoe, the protestors are true human beings. BLiar should be in jail. Period.