Parent screams at Murtha during commencement address

[RamboLiberal]

http://kdka.com/topstories/local_story_135083848.html

Rep. John Murtha called for the immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq during a university commencement speech, drawing mixed reaction.

"We don't care. This isn't about graduation," Leonard Pierce, the parent of a graduate, called out several times from the audience during Seton Hill University's commencement Saturday.

Murtha ignored the brief disruption and told the audience that Iraq has failed to restore prewar levels of oil production and still struggles with inadequate electrical power.

<snip>

Murtha was wrong to bring up the war - whether for or against - during the graduation ceremony, Pierce said.

Others said Murtha should be allowed to speak.

Damian Zottoli, who identified himself as a former Pennsylvania National Guard company commander, said Pierce should have "just sat there and let (Murtha) tell the truth."

More from another source.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/today/s_453838.html

<snip>

The catcalls prompted shouts from other audience members that Murtha should be allowed to speak. The back-and-forth was clearly audible inside the Katherine Mabis McKenna Center on the Greensburg campus. The small, liberal arts Catholic university is in the heart of Murtha's 12th Congressional District, which he has represented since 1974.

Murtha ignored the brief disruption. Later, he dismissed the heckling as of no great consequence.

One student, on his way to get his diploma, told the congressman that graduation was not the place to air the war issue, Murtha said.

"I told him, 'This is America, not Russia,' " Murtha said.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/today/s_453838.html

<snip>

Murtha noted 356 U.S. servicemen have died since his first public criticism last November. Iraq has failed to restore prewar levels of oil production and still struggles with inadequate electrical power, Murtha said.

"I agree with him. It didn't bother me at all," said Kaleeda Jenkins, of Churchill, who graduated yesterday with a degree in political science. "I'm with him 110 percent."

Graduate Mike Whiteman, of North Huntingdon, disagreed. "I don't think it was appropriate. This is about graduation, not agenda-setting," Whiteman said.

Seton Hill University President JoAnne Boyle said she would welcome Murtha back to the campus anytime. "I think he stirred us," Boyle said.

Wonder if Pierce's kid is joining the military?

[Wickerman]

1. During graduations speakers speak of the world that awaits

grads. Perpetual war is certainly a reality. So, Pierce, respects the 1st dmin rights of Murtha and stfu.

[okieinpain]

24. baccalaureate for my high school son, first thing out of preacher's mouth

is "don't fall for the okie doke. what's the okie doke, homosexuality is wrong, they shouldn't be allowed to adopt kids." and it got worse from there.

I think speakers at these types of events should try and give some kind of thought on todays environment, not their personal beliefs.

[Vinnie From Indy]

2. More Kool-Aid Mr. Pierce?

What a typical right wing moron!

[saltpoint]

3. Folks all have their favorite speakers in mind and might prefer to

hear them over others' favorites, but by and large we all don't individually get a tailor-made universe.

It doesn't hurt anybody to listen to somebody whose ideology is different. An associate of mine, a far-left Dem, reads conservative James Kilpatricks' columns in his local paper, "just to see what the son-of-a-bitch has to say."

And he still votes deep blue Democrat.

I think tempers flare in times when there's no leadership, and Murtha's out there on the front lines, but it's Dubya's war and it's Dubya who's done the dividing.

[MikeNearMcChord]

4. I wonder that too?

But if not I wonder if the UBER-Patriotic Mr. Pierce is willing to put his money where his mouth is.

[wisteria]

5. The man is entitled to his opinion, but he wasn't right to interrupt the

ceremony. It was the wrong time to speak-up. Murtha comes out looking like a class act and Leonard Pierce comes out looking like a jerk.

[GoldenOldie]

13. Just when is a good time to bring up the Iraq War??

There are 19-year old fighting and dying in Iraq/Afghanistan. They entered the military because they wanted to pursue a college education and the military promised this benefit or they felt a very strong sense of patriotism. These young kids did not live long enough to even reach the age of these college graduates. This bitching father and the graduate had the audacity to tell Murtha, a veteran of war, that a college graduation is not the place to speak out????

Who are these people???? Although speech and protest is one of our most sacred/treasured rights and a right that men and women have fought and died. For these arrogant, self absorbed idiots there never seem to be a right time to speak out. Murtha earned his right to speak, he earned it the hard way and if the parent didn't like what he had to say to the graduates, who were fortunate to attain their degrees without any personal and dangerous sacrifice to our Nation, he had the opportunity to walkout or simply ignore the speech.

I have been fortunate to have met 2-young people who have been lost to this war. A 19-year old young woman, who enlisted because she naively believed that George W. Bush was telling the truth and she held a passion for the military and country. A 21-year old young man, who joined to get his college benefits, benefits that his family could not afford.

[EST]

6. The featured speaker at such functions is,

albeit temporarily, a member of the faculty and should be respected.
I would like to think this graduate's embarrassment was profound and stimulates him/her to make an attempt not to allow themselves to become such a prick in their own lives.

[No Exit]

7. "Wonder if Pierce's kid is joining the military?" HIGH FIVE, brother!!!

AND I also wonder if the TWIT who said that to Murtha--"thith ith no place to talk about the war"--is signing up.

SIGN UP OR SHUT UP!!! GO MURTHA!!!

[caligirl]

8. His kid might just be embarrassed about this.

[PermanentRevolution]

9. My high school graduation

The Valedictorian of my little south Georgia high school (public school, not private) used our graduation ceremony to urge all of us to accept Christ as our savior because it just made her so sad to think of all of her schoolmates who were going to burn in Hell because we weren't saved. If we had to listen to that at a public school graduation, I think Murtha can mention the Iraq war at a liberal-arts university in his own district...

[RethugAssKicker]

18. Too bad you didn't have some eggs with you !

[Dunvegan]

10. I hate to go all ACLUish...but I have to support the protester.

If it were Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, RW Congress-critters, any of those...I could see someone protesting by shouting. Even at a graduation ceremony.

I think protocol goes something like this: Politician speaks. Citizen shouts questions or just a protest. Citizen is asked to leave. Politicial lets this roll of their back and continues.

Ask yourself this: What would you think if it were a parent shouting at Rumsfeld speaking at a graduation? Or Frist?

JMHO.

[gratuitous]

15. Let 'em heckle

Although I suspect there would be a lot LESS heckling if there was a draft waiting for the little darlings as soon as they had their sheepskins.

[brentspeak]

17. Perfectly valid point

What if it were Rick Sanitorium speaking at the graduation, and he used the opportunity to praise the Iraq War? How many people would appreciate that?

[Vickers]

11. So, is that parent encouraging their little graduate to join the military?

:eyes:

Fight 'em over there, and all that shit.

[JPZenger]

12. Tell Us About the Circus and Britney Instead

Distract the public's attention with circuses. Distract them with stories about Britney. Don't make them think about our perpetual state of war, with no end in sight. After all, these graduates aren't going off to war.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

14. "We don't care. This isn't about graduation"

This is code for "I don't want to think/talk about/pay attentiion to the issue". To that parent and that student, I would ask, when is a good time to talk about the illegal invasion of Iraq now in it's third year?
:shrug:

[RethugAssKicker]

19. Now in its 4th year !

[brentspeak]

16. Seton Hill University?

Had to reread that -- for a moment I thought there might've been second Seton HALL University in addition to the one in NJ.

[Justice]

20. you either agreed with Murtha or you said graduation was not the place

- notice they can't come out and say - I disagree with him. It is about shutting down discussion, not having discussion. Where exactly is the PLACE???

[noonwitch]

21. I think it's okay for a student to make a comment if he disagrees

If it's not rude or in bad taste-the student who said graduation was not the time to make comments about the war was not being rude. The student mentioned it quietly when he went up for his diploma.

The parent in the audience was being rude, however, and should have been ejected. He was shouting out during the speech.

[distantearlywarning]

22. I think that if we support the right of people

like Cindy Sheehan and the gentleman who spoke to Donald Rumsfeld a few weeks ago (sorry, blanked on the name right now) to stand up at speeches and other functions to say their piece, we also need to support the right of this person to do the same.

One thing that is really pissing me off lately is people on both sides criticizing protesters of every stripe and acting like protesting is something bad regardless of what the protest is. It's like they're saying, "sit down and don't rock the boat - be happy, watch reality TV, let us think for you and everything will be fine". Dissenting opinions are good, even when it's something you don't happen to agree with. It helps prevent against groupthink, clarifies thought in everybody who hears it, and informs, one way or another.

[Javaman]

23. What a bunch of kool-ade drinking fops...

Murtha speaks the truth about their future, yet because these little snot nose repuke grads are "fighting the war at home" they don't like to hear the truth that others their same age are dying out there.

Wait till moron* attacks Iran and starts drafting them. Watch them change their tune...

Disconnection.

Long live Murtha.