For years, many have complained that colleges and universities have almost exclusively invited Democratic and liberal figures to serve as commencement speakers. Despite this country being divided down the middle, conservative families and students are expected to listen to Democratic politicians and far-left figures at graduations. This year, schools seem to be doubling down with figures ranging from Nancy Pelosi (Notre Dame de Namur University) to Jamie Raskin (American University and Goucher College) to candidates like James Talarico (Paul Quinn College). There is no subtlety in their selection or their messages. Pelosi slammed the GOP and Trump while Talarico gave effectively a stump speech on fighting the billionaires.
It is hardly a surprise that administrators and faculty members pick liberal figures exclusively after purging faculty ranks of virtually all conservative and libertarian professors. Despite years of criticism from donors and commentators in the academic echo chamber, these schools show no interest in offering ideological diversity in hiring or at commencements.
Raskin just called for radical changes to the Supreme Court after declaring it “gerrymandered” because he disagrees with its decision on racial gerrymandering. Most Americans find such changes, including court packing, to be reckless and dangerous. Yet, not one but two colleges insisted that graduates who want to attend the ceremony must listen to Raskin.
Talarico is a candidate in a hotly contested political race. Yet, Paul Quinn College insisted on turning the graduation into a campaign event for Talarico, who made many of the same points he made on the campaign trail.
It is hardly surprising that Pelosi used her speech to lash out at Trump and the GOP for destroying democracy. If you are a conservative or Republican, the college expects you to sit there and obediently listen to the diatribe.
I have served as a commencement speaker, and I would never use the speeches to advance political interests. However, I was the target of such a speech. My law school invited one of the most partisan members on the Hill, Susan Wild, who was later defeated.
In a speech to the law students on living an ethical life as a lawyer, Wild accused me of testifying falsely in the Trump impeachment that only criminal acts are impeachable after saying the opposite in my testimony in the Clinton impeachment.
The only problem is that Wild’s statement was demonstrably and undeniably false. I testified in both the Clinton and Trump impeachments that an impeachable offense need not be an actual crime. Wild’s own Democratic colleagues and later the House managers in the Senate Trump trial repeatedly cited my testimony on that very point.
Ironically, before leaving Congress, Wild was accused of unethical conduct in leaking a non-public report against another colleague. At the time, the Hill reported that Wild “was absent from the panel’s meeting last week after being traced as the source of leaks to the press regarding the investigation.”
It is hardly difficult to get speakers who can appeal to both liberals and conservatives in a student body. The problem is not the supply but the demand. Faculty members and administrators want to use commencements as a final opportunity for indoctrination, including inviting a liberal candidate for the Senate to give a campaign speech. It treats its students and their families as a captive audience.
Despite years of criticism over the overwhelmingly liberal and Democratic identity of commencement speakers, faculty are entirely unrepentant. They do it because they can. They continue to use their institutions to advance their own ideological and political interests. Commencements are merely the culmination of that unrelenting approach.
The issue remains whether donors (and legislators for state schools) will draw the line and withhold their support until they see real, not just rhetorical, commitments to intellectual diversity.
For students who must listen to these figures denounce their values or interests, remember this feeling. It is the final lesson on the state of our higher education. The lesson should not be to fight to flip the ideological bias, but to show the integrity and civility that your schools lack. You should no more want your liberal classmates to listen to a conservative diatribe than you would have to listen to a liberal diatribe. Your professors are leaving you with a powerful experience of how power can be abused. You can aspire to something greater in working to restore respect and balance to higher education.
Why is Turley so concerned about the content of speeches?
Is he a censorship bureau now?
It’s a blog, with stuff that happened. People read about it.
Why are you so concerned about the content of his website?
Are you a censorship bureau now? Who do you think you are?
The leader of the free world should be defending comedians, not threatening them.
Even prisoners have civil rights that must be respected, no matter
what horrible crimes they have committed, no matter their views or affiliations,
to make prison guards
treat them with contempt, and so should comedians.
He’s not funny.
He’s a comedian??? Maybe he should try to be funny then.
“The leader of the free world should be defending comedians, not threatening them.”
Why ?
What is wrong with criticism of an unfunny talent free hack – or the many such hacks thew left has produced.
I never paid much attention to Kimmel – and when I have I have regretted it – he is unwatchable.
But Colbert actually used to be Funny.
With few exceptions the left has lost its ability to be funny.
Rather than fixate on Trump’s free speech in response to your free speech.
Maybe you should look into why the left is no longer funny and why unlike 2017 opposition to Trump is no longer sufficient to buoy ratings.
Regardless, Trump is no threat to Kimmel.
But viewers are and the left is in trouble – no one is paying attention to you anymore.
Jimmy Kimmel isn’t a comedian. Comedians are funny and make people laugh. I can’t remember anyone finding Kimmel funny during the last 10 years at least. Kimmel is a Democrat mouthpiece who is obsessed with murdering the President of the United States.
You should’ve posted a video of a comedian instead of a clown to prove your point….
Conservatives are Christians having to confront non-christains and the values collision is overwhelming. Some Christians have nothing but Christians in their tree for over a thousand years. No, children, all people are not the same.
Would Republicans keep using roads if they no longer had to pay taxes?
They are always the guardians of taxpayer dollars except when it comes to a vanity project such as a ballroom.
You are right. This has been my observation, too.
No taxpayer funds are being used!
Let’s all wear olive green combat uniforms. All the same and make it unisex. Dresses were invented because women couldn’t get pants over the huge haunches. No more dresses. There’s spandex.
Since you ignorantly listen to the lies of the media, you have no clue what you are talking about, since taxpayers aren’t on the dole for this ballroom like we are on the dole for paying to support millions of illegals that Joe Biden invited here and flew midnight drop offs around the USA
The Ballroom is not being paid for by taxes.
get your facts straight.
dems talking about taxes. Never thought I’d see the day where they stooped to such hypocrisy. please, you’re embarrassing yourself. well you better get a job because the gravy train is over.
It seems to me that the educational establishment, from top to bottom, lacks any sense of the intellectual equivalent of fiduciary obligation.
Turley should ban himself from his own blog until his articles start earning a profit.
Should ban ANON first. Anon keeps replying to himself. LAME
Do conservatives use their institutions to advance their own ideological and political interests?
Since when are government funded institutions free to advance the ideological and political interests of the left ?
Is this so surprising when MAGA attacks universities? Why would they want to give a platform to the very folks trying to tax endowments and censor speech?
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Darren, are you on duty???
Boycott the Left (duh).
Boycott.
Graduation speeches are largely a waste of time— the graduates don’t care and won’t even remember who spoke, much less what they said. I don’t recall any graduation speakers from my own or any other graduation I have attended. The same is true for the guests and family members.
But that’s not the purpose of today’s piece—which is to attack higher education and non-MAGA speakers. If you can’t promote Trump and Republicans, which polls prove Turley can’t, then you must attack Democrats to try to stop the blue wave coming in November.
More chum for the disciples as Trump and Republicans keep flailing, the polls keep showing trouble for Republicans, Trump keeps lying about the war he started being “won” or “over”, lies about the price of gas and groceries, and gas prices continue to soar. In my state, you can’t touch gas for less than $4.99 a gallon.
Then, there’s Whiskey Pete and his shameful performance before Congress, the firings of Bondi and Noem, Warsh who tried to ingratiate himself by refusing to admit that Trump lost in 2020, and Trump’s obsession with his stupid ballroom, putting his name and image on everything and trying to create a legacy despite being the worst president in history.
But Turley has to, once again, pretend that there’s validity to “conservatism”, which is really MAGA, as real conservatives can explain, and that universities aren’t giving MAGAS an equal voice— as if there’s anything valid about Trump and MAGA. It’s not working.
George A. Keyworth II spoke at my college graduation.
Donald Trump spoke at My younger brothers.
The purpose of todays peice is to once again note that academia has become a monoculture not reflective of the values of 80% of the country.
If Democrats do not take the house in November – that would be a disaster – I do not beleive that the party in power has managed to hold onto the house in any midterm in my life.
At the moment the odds favor Democrats taking the house – but not in some dominant fashion.
Personally, I do not think that is certain – I would not bet money on it.
The major factors controlling the midterms are in Republican – and mostly Trump’s control.
While the Iran conflict is having a negative impact on the economy – that impact is not large.
Far less than Bidenflation.
I would be shocked if the conflict lasts a month longer. But we will see.
Regardless – it will end, and it will highly likely end long before the mid terms.
Further – even if it were to continue – most of the current negative impacts are temporary.
UAE has left OPEC – because they can export Oil without passing through the Straights of Hormuz.
US oil production is skyrocketting.
Venezuella is boosting production.
Canada is boosting production.
Brazil is boosting production.
The entire mideast is looking to find ways to bypass Iran.
The laws of supply and demand dictate that reduced supply increases prices to moderate demand.
But it also dictates that higher prices themselves work to boost supply.
Some increases happen rapidly. Others take time.
As someone said – oil prices go up like a rocket but come down like a parachute.
But they will come down – and it is likely they will come down LOWER than before.
The democrat advantage on the generic ballot right now would likely lead to Democrats winning the house – narrowly.
Not a blue wave.
Democrats are currently running 3pts behind where they were in 2018.
There is some “flailing” with republicans – The SAVE ACT has not been passed – despite supermajority support.
Many republicans voters are disappointed with Republicans – particularly congressional republicans for NOT keeping their promises. That MIGHT cause some republicans to skip the midterms.
But contra the left – Democrat energy is low – despite protestors being paid – democrat protests are growing weaker by the day.
Democrat enthusiasm is fading – and the countries tolerance of the left is diminishing.
I would further note – Democrats are flailing – as much or more than republicans.
WA is a Mess, MN is a Mess, CA, NY, NYC are big messes.
Stories – whether they are about Fraud, incompetence, fleeing tax base, massive budgets and massive debt,
political violence, …. nearly all about the Left are making the news every day.
Democrats do not sound excited, they sound desparate.
Regardless, absent some major shift to the center from the democratic party – which appears to be impossible.
The future of the democratic party is as a rump party.
Academia is a cesspool of communist.
They want your precious bodily fluids.
^^^ …with spirit fleas.
Personally, never found indoctrinated versus challenged to learn has ANY value – and is most often detriment to individuals’ skills and abilities.
Ergo: Resumes listing those institutions provide amusing dexterity challenges in airplane folding during the circular filing process.
Freedom of Speech. Yes, these speakers can be invited for speaker events and participate in civil discourse at any or all universities and colleges – particularly speaking events.
HOWEVER:
Thanks JT, because as you’ve alluded in the title “Final Convocation or Indoctrination”, the “Graduation Convocation” is a celebration of the accomplishments of the students and usually a inspirational challenge for their futures.
If the speakers mentioned (and any others) are “honored” to present a final indoctrination confirmation, also use as evaluation of the institutional certification value provided these students – and in these cases (ex: Nancy Pelosi [Notre Dame de Namur University] to Jamie Raskin [American University and Goucher College] to candidates like James Talarico [Paul Quinn College]) while sympathy should be felt for those indoctrinated, that key indicator is certification of quality actually received.
You can’t fix YOUNG AND DUMB no matter how ridiculous these nit-wits pray for their own demise! Most of these college barely-functional grads are either Trust Fund Babies in search of a Revolutionary Boy/Girl reputation or they are stone broke from bleeding out family and taking loans for their useless degree and can’t understand why they are not being considered for the VP position at the business of their choice. But no need to fear as they will ALL BECOME INFLUENCER MILLIONAIRES as the world recognizes their brilliance and Nostradamus-Like visions for America! M-O-R-O-N-S!!!
American Education consists of communist indoctrination centers, which is counterintuitive understanding that communism is unconstitutional and inimical.
What is communism but “labor,” and what is “labor” but the physical exertion of all living fauna on the planet? Every person performs labor.
You encourage the communist party by implementing unconstitutional and illegal communist union control of public schools, passing unconstitutional communist so-called “labor” laws, establishing an unconstitutional communist so-called “Labor” Department, allowing communist “May Day” celebrations, and perpetuating a wholly unconstitutional communist American welfare state, which must have been struck down eons ago by the Supreme Court.
What the —- did you think was going to happen?
In 508 B.C., the Greeks created democracy with a severely restricted vote—20% or less of the population could vote—out of necessity, rationality, and sanity. The “dictatorship of the majority,” the “dictatorship of the proletariat,” and the “dictatorship of the poor” were totally precluded. No state needs the vote of the “poor.” What they would vote for is known definitively—largesse, charity, alms, and favor derived from the taxation of other people.
The communist American welfare state is unconstitutional per Article 1, Section 8, and the 5th Amendment right to private property.
The Supreme Court swore an oath to support the Constitution; it has not.
Pretty good post, anon. It’s a game the left and right are playing, good cop bad cop leading to the same goal—> crap world. The right exists in an effort to make poor, unhappy, abused, robbed and murdered conservatives maintain a bit of self respect.
Bias is embraced on this blog but no where else.
Conservative Control At State Universities
The hands are waving. Just learn sign language for crissake. At least it would have meaning. 😏
My law school chose not to spend public money to bring in an outside speaker. We focused on students who had excelled and faculty. The ceremony thus remained focused on the graduating class rather than on the interests of an outside speaker.
I used to think just give it up; they aren’t paying attention. But I am seeing people look to the South for more conservative/liberal arts schools. They seem to be getting the message; keep it up, JT!
I have never experienced a college graduation speech. I felt that the degree was not necessary to get ahead in my chosen school. My mentor was my father. He started as a bookkeeper in the 50’s and when he retired in the mid 80’s, from the same company, he was the Assistant Comptroller. He always said his degree was MBWA, management by walking around his six department with 200+ employees. He took specific classes that would help him improve. I did the same, got the working experience of being a small businesses grunt and when forced to do alternate service got into a not profit. That non profit advanced me from a delivery driver to assistant business manager. Along the way, it was specific classes that would help without pursuance of degree. Those classes helped in my own business of 40 years that provided a comfortable but hard working living.
So, I wonder what kind of speakers are for the individuals that followed a different path successfully? My guess is that they do not need one. Their success is their graduation speech. What about the trade school graduation speakers? I believe the speakers would be uplifting as well as congratulatory for taking the alternative way. A shift that I believe is going to happen more and more as college degrees become less meaningful except for specific fields like, engineering, doctors and such.
“I have never experienced a college graduation speech. I felt that the degree was not necessary to get ahead in my chosen school.”
I was pushed into college immediately after HS by parents who had established a college fund long before, and who refused to listen to me tell them I wasn’t ready, because I did not yet have any clue what I wanted to do with my life. The results were: a hastily chosen major that I had no real passion for; a school I selected because it was as far away from home as possible; a very poor transcript; and a quickly exhausted college fund that failed to benefit me or anyone else. A few years later I discovered that I had both talent and passion for computers. I took some COBOL courses at a local Vocational-Technical evening school, and began a ~40 year, well-compensated, career in Information Technology (then known as Data Processing) beginning with a data entry and computer operator job, then becoming a systems and application developer, and was ultimately employed as Information Security Officer and Enterprise Technology Advisor for a multi-billion dollar multi-national corporation. I took classes offered by vendors and professional organizations, and did my own research as I went along to increase the breadth and depth of my knowledge, but took no formal college courses at any point in that career.
So where did you go wrong, Don?