Sanders at Liberty: Students are saying it was NOT mandatory.

[Fawke Em]

Check out this Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/BernieSanders/status/643451047462215680

Students are saying this:

Unlike @tedcruz Liberty University Presidential announcement, students were there cos they wanted to not because they had to.

this was optional?

LU student convocation at senator Cruz's presidential announcement was part of their curriculum. Hence, mandatory.

It's hard to post the disjointed style of Twitter conversations here, but there are several students on this particular feed thanking Sen. Sanders for coming to speak with them and shooting down the misnomer that all convocations are mandatory. Students are saying they aren't. Most are attending, but if students really didn't want to hear him, they didn't have to go.

So, it looks as though there were a good number of students who REALLY wanted to be there and hear what he had to say.

[Faux pas]

1. Whoa

that makes it even better!

[HooptieWagon]

2. I am amazed.

I have to give credit where credit is due...to Liberty U for inviting Sanders to speak, to Sanders for having the vision and courage to accept, and to the students for listening.

[dorkzilla]

21. They’ve invited all the candidates

So glad Bernie has no need for an echo chamber (I’m not saying anyone on “our” side does but the GOP seem to thrive like mushrooms under a rock in theirs).

[7962]

34. Here's the quote stating that:

"Junior Chris Hill, who sat in the front row, said his friends on campus were very curious to hear Sanders speak. "We've wanted a liberal to come here. We've invited Hillary Clinton, we've invited Barack Obama, we've invited Martin O'Malley. Bernie is the only one to be here," he said."

[Fawke Em]

44. Interesting.

Are we to gather our leaders don't think their ideas are good enough?

[dorkzilla]

49. Thank you for that!

Makes me even happier!

A really normal, REAL NORMAL guy.

[tularetom]

58. Well, there's their problem

Bernie is the only "liberal" they've invited.

Hillary Clinton - not a liberal

Barack Obama - a liberal when it suits him

Martin O'Malley - could be a liberal if he worked at it

[daleanime]

3. If that's true....

that makes Bernie's reception even nicer.

[CoffeeCat]

4. These are the little digs/lies...

…that the opposition will pull out, to destroy his momentum and pour cold water on Sander's successes.

They start these little lies and memes, but what they fail to realize is that social media exists.

We can fact check your bullshit, nimrods!

[RandySF]

5. I'm calling BS

All news reports were that it was mandatory.

[SouthernProgressive]

7. I wouldn't call bs.

With it being mandatory it is understandable. With it not being mandatory, it looks pretty bad on Sanders. Then again, no one has really fought the idea that he attracts libertarians and isolationists. I don't think it is a big leap that they wanted to see him. The only way they get what they want is from the destruction of the economic system. Its like how some can support Paul on certain issues. These people can sure as hell get behind some aspects of Sanders. They believe he will be the nail in the coffin that is our economy. It is necessary for many of them and their own political views.

[Armstead]

12. The John Birch Society is calling

[SouthernProgressive]

14. And many phones at the Sanders event today began ringing. nt.

[dorkzilla]

22. Gee and the irony of the screen name too

That takes guts

[Ed Suspicious]

30. +1

[roguevalley]

38. I don't even understand their posts.

[LondonReign2]

51. It appears that "Socialist!" isn't getting the traction they had hoped

so they are back to recycling "Libertarian!". The desperation is astonishing.

[arcane1]

56. Their desperation is obvious and transparent too.

[Go Vols]

45. +1

[beam me up scottie]

47. +172458

[polly7]

15. Do you believe that an economic system in any nation that funnels money up to the

top 1% while those at the bottom and in the middle struggle just to survive is a good thing and that shouldn't be challenged?

[kenfrequed]

18. The OP is off

Unfortunately I think that Liberty U does make these things compulsory.

Trying to paint this school as a clutch of libertarians is spin and makes it perfectly clear to me you didn't bother watching what he said to them and how he spoke to them.

Bernie is almost the polar opposite of an economic libertarian in terms of policy. It is almost as though you throw any negative words you can think of down just to smear the man.

Liberty U attracts religious conservatives and Bernie was brutally honest with the fact he disagreed with them on social concerns and then went into a long and wonderfully written speech about how they ought to agree with progressives on economic issues. On providing for the poor. On protecting the ill and homeless. On how wrong it is in our nation to have such a terrible disparity of income.

No libertarian would make a speech like that. Please, inform yourself.

[Comrade Grumpy]

19. Wow. So much spew in so few lines. Impressive.

[Scootaloo]

23. Do you feel better for having got that off your chest?

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. The HUAC called...

They would like their fear mongering back.

[7962]

36. It makes SANDERS look bad that people voluntarily went to see him? And filled the arena?

Bizarro world....

[drm604]

37. A vote is a vote, even if it's for mistaken reasons.

Although I disagree with you that those are the reasons for their attendance.

[arcane1]

53. Play that role!

[Fawke Em]

9. So, you're going to believe the news media over students?

I looked at their profiles. Unless they all conspired to briefly change their profiles to show they are LU students, then I would say that an LU student knows whether they are required to attend an event or not.

[aidbo]

20. If you call BS. Please tell him I said hi and that I think he's doing a great job. Thanks.

[WillyT]

24. Thread Win !!! - LOL !!!

[Fawke Em]

52. Pssst... I posted something just for you!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251593508

[WillyT]

60. Shh...

kicked and recced...

[historylovr]

26. +1

[MissDeeds]

31. Ditto

[840high]

32. Hahaha! Good one.

[Fawke Em]

43. Ha!!!

[7962]

35. Sorry, you're wrong. See my post #34

[A Simple Game]

42. Send Hillary an email and ask her to let you know

when she goes into the enemy's den if it was mandatory. I'm sure she would be happy to let you know as long as you don't write classified anywhere on the email.

[msongs]

6. how many were actual students and non-students? gotta love fact checking lol nt

[Fawke Em]

10. Just answered you above.

I looked at several profiles before I posted over here.

I don't think there's some conspiracy for three or four people to post pics of young-faces and list themselves as LU students or anything. These kids were on the thread, initially, to thank Bernie for coming to the university. They only started explaining it wasn't mandatory when some non-students started regurgitating news reports that it was.

[Fawke Em]

16. The students are even answering back.

Note: My user name is in this image, but it's not who you think. LOL.

[Frances]

8. It's not that important whether it was mandatory or not

I am just glad that these students had a chance to hear Bernie in person

[Fawke Em]

11. True.

I just found it interesting that Cruz's announcement was mandatory as part of their curriculum, but Sanders was not.

[dorkzilla]

50. Maybe because the douchecanoes at Liberty REALLY WANTED THEM TO HEAR CRUZ

...and Bernie not so much?

Just a guess, but it makes sense.

[Fawke Em]

54. Fair point.

The students I've seen on social media have been more than cool about the whole thing. Some loved him. Some were merely polite. The only people acting like assholes were the Twitchy crowd.

[dorkzilla]

59. I am just chuffed that Bernie went, spoke to the point (as always) and got a few cheers as well nt

[artislife]

13. I liked this tweet

good job, despite us having different views!

And that is all we can ask for. Let it drip in, there may be some deep thoughts about to blossom.

[Fawke Em]

17. I noticed the students were very gracious.

It was the right-wing older adults who are the assholes in that thread.

[MADem]

27. Sounds to me like they are saying they had to attend but didn't mind (as much, anyway).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/08/07/why-liberty-university-is-requiring-its-students-to-attend-a-bernie-sanders-speech/

Just as Sanders hopes to bolster his candidacy by speaking to an audience from way across the aisle, Liberty sought to affirm its legitimacy by inviting him. Having a Jewish quasi-socialist speak at the school is a way of fighting the perception that the school is just an echo chamber for conservative Christian politics.

And, Falwell Jr. said, other “liberal” schools could learn a thing or two from a purportedly closed, conservative campus like Liberty’s. When former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice was invited to speak at Rutgers University’s commencement last spring, students and faculty protested for weeks until she voluntarily backed out. Falwell says he’s seen no such response to the Sanders invite from Liberty’s own student body.

“You have to hear from people who believe something different from you,” he said, the only slightest hint of smugness in his voice. “That’s why you go to college.”

[7962]

39. Falwell (gasp) is right.

Its always embarrassed me how students react to someone they dont like from the right giving a speech. Its like they're scared to hear something they disagree with.
Of course, a lot of folks HERE are like that too........

[secondwind]

28. some of them behaved like it was mandatory.. they sat stone-faced and emotionless throughout.

[LiberalArkie]

29. Maybe it is like lectures, you don't have to attend but you get better grades if you do.

[MADem]

46. From what I have read (and my "research" is admittedly cursory, so I won't get angry if someone

proves me wrong) it sounded like they had to attend most of them, and could get permission to miss one or maybe even two.

Who knows if there's "make up" work to do if you miss?

Sounds like War College!!!

[Fawke Em]

57. That's the impression I got.

But, think about it: if you were ultra right-wing, wouldn't this be your protest miss?

[MADem]

61. I think would go if I were ultra right wing. I'd be bored by someone who was mushy in the

middle--those guys love to speak in extremes.

I think it would be the same reason I'd love to attend a T-RUMP event...I'd like to see that Assclown up-close-and-personal.

Of course, I admit that The Donald bloviating to an audience of askance-looking, if not hostile, liberals and progressives would not be as much "spectacle" as The Donald bloviating to a bunch of mouth breathing true believers screaming his name, but it would still be interesting to see.

Also, he's the only one from the left speaking there, so he would be a 'rare' ticket. I think that would affect the attendance as well.

[Owl]

33. NPR MN just broadcast that attendance was mandatory and that reception was "muted".

Arggh.

[7962]

40. Post 16 says it wasnt. And my post 34 quotes a student saying ALL Dems were invited.

But Bernie was the only one who has accepted

[Owl]

63. I stated what was heard on NPR.

[magical thyme]

66. the cheering sure didn't sound "muted" when I watched live. maybe they forgot to uncheck the 'mute'

button on their 'puters.

[KamaAina]

41. Of course not.

Why would Liberty set itself up for a Bernie photo op featuring a packed house?

[The empressof all]

48. I think they are allowed to miss three of their choosing

I don't know if the three "free" passes are per semester or per year. So technically it attendance is not mandatory if you are willing to use one of your three absent passes.

[randys1]

55. Regardless, why cant all Democrats and liberals applaud Bernie AND Hillary...

Bernie did good here.

He will do good again.

Hillary does good too.

And will again.

[Motown_Johnny]

62. Didn't Hillary supporters attack Bernie

When it was announced that he would speak here?

I seem to remember a lot of that around here. It is why not all of us can celebrate this. Some here have been proven horribly wrong, again.

[Autumn]

64. Yeah some of them did.

[randys1]

65. They did, and had Hillary announced she was gonna speak here Bernie supporters

would have told us the world had literally ended. (some, not ones like me, for instance)

The screaming and outrage would have never stopped, never.

Both sides are doing this but the Hillary bashers are way more active, WAY more.