Via AbovetheLaw, and admittedly a couple days late, I learned that Northwestern University has just disinvited the controversial Dr. Jeremiah Wright from its commencement ceremony.
With recognition that Dr. Wright has become, um, a polarizing figure in national politics, I still think this is a bit weird. Somehow, Jerry Springer is ok to be a law school commencement speaker at Northwestern but it’s not ok to have an honorary degree awarded to Dr. Wright. The rationale: Dr. Wright would be a party-pooper. Seriously.
Here’s how the University President justified his action: “In light of the controversy surrounding statements made by you that have recently been publicized, the celebratory character of Northwestern’s commencement would be affected by our conferring of this honorary degree. Thus I am withdrawing the offer of an honorary degree previously extended to you.”
Schools surely have to be mindful of who gets honored in the currency of precious LLDs, etc. But absent some crime or potential lawsuit that occurs once one’s due diligience period ends/ the extension of the invitation and the time of the commencement (e.g., Case Western’s current contretemps around its now ex-speaker, Ohio AG Dann), this seems like a political abuse of the university’s gravitas.
Posted by Administrators on May 5, 2008 at 11:43 AM
Comments
Surely there is a difference between the invitation of a politician who became a raunchy TV host and the conferral of an honorary degree on a man who has spewed hateful rhetoric?
The former may be slightly distasteful (depending on personal beliefs), but the second is (or should be) patently offensive.
Posted by: Casual Observer | May 7, 2008 9:43:50 AM
One cannot underestimate the pride I feel as a *double* Northwestern alumnus and the choices it makes, in both directions, as to commencement speakers.
Posted by: Howard Wasserman | May 5, 2008 12:07:07 PM