'Offensive' commencement speech (Mitch McConnell) at Brandeis School of Law - UofL

[BridgeTheGap]

Graduation day was supposed to be my day. The day I worked toward for three painstaking years as I trudged through law school. The day was supposed to be about my accomplishments and those of my classmates. It should have been about hope for our futures.

Instead, Sen. Mitch McConnell chose to make it about himself. Serving as the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law's commencement speaker, he didn't bother congratulating us in any significant way or recognizing that our ideas are the key to the future. Instead, he took our time to criticize who he labeled as "the others" and their handling of everything from swine flu and the CIA torture memos to the closing of Gitmo and the upcoming fight looming over the Supreme Court nomination.

McConnell has, at times, been incredibly influential in Congress. The appropriateness of having a figure who has shaped the law in such a way can hardly be questioned for a law school's commencement. However, our graduation was a completely inappropriate platform for voicing his political agenda in the way he did. Regardless of political persuasion, the speech was offensive to both students and their families.

It is very sad that the vast majority of us graduates began discussing how inappropriate and offensive it was before we even left the stage and haven't stopped since. It is very sad that many students had to exercise restraint in not walking out of our own graduation ceremony. It is very sad that our final memory of the law school experience boils down to a U.S. senator taking our day and turning it into a stump speech for the "NoBama" campaign as it dwindles further into irrelevance

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090514/OPINION02/905140309/1018/OPINION/+Offensive++commencement+speech

[get the red out]

1. That's disgusting!

There is this assumption among Kentucky Republicans that EVERYONE in this state agrees with them. This even permeates radio to the point that people talk up the Republicans on sports call in shows! People will call into a sports show and somehow fit in a blast at Obama while pretending to discuss the Cats or the Cards; and of course it is permitted, but never the other side.

It is hideous that your graduation was used as a campaign platform for that reptile. The Republicans in this state are on automatic, thinking that everyone is a Republican or should be shouted into submission by Republicans. They want to limit the voices of Democrats. Good for your class for being disgusted. Such a misuse of a captive audience.