swag
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Sat May-20-06 07:54 PM
Original message |
Jean Rohe - Why I Spoke Up (New School pre-McCain speaker) |
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Edited on Sat May-20-06 07:58 PM by swag
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jean-rohe/why-i-spoke-up_b_21358.htmlWhen I was selected as a student speaker for the New School commencement about two months ago I had no idea that I'd end up on CNN and in Maureen Dowd's column in the New York Times, among other places, when it was all over. One day after the big event I'm still reeling from all the media attention and emails from professors, students, and other supporters from all over the country, so forgive me if my writing is a little scattered.
In my speech yesterday I had hoped to talk about social responsibility in a time of war, but in much more oblique terms. I wanted to speak about communication, and how I have found that one of my strongest and most enjoyable methods of communication is music. I wanted to talk about the New York City public school preschoolers with whom I work each week and how they've been empowered through music, how they've been able to learn linguistic and social skills by singing together. I wanted to talk about my grandfather, who, despite the fact that he has Alzheimer's disease and cannot remember even my name, still knows all the songs he sang in his youth. I wanted to talk about music as a powerful tool for peace. I wanted to encourage everyone to identify his or her talents and to always use them for the greater good.
Unfortunately, a certain not-so-dynamic duo of "centrist" politicians foiled my standard graduation speech and forced me to act. Until just the day before commencement I really hadn't understood the gravity of the situation. I suppose I should tell the story.
On Thursday I attended two graduation ceremonies for my two degrees, one at the New School Jazz Program and one at Eugene Lang College at the New School. The Lang graduation was a pretty raucous affair, owing mostly to the dissenting voices of Elijah Miller, a student award recipient, and Mark Larrimore, a religious studies professor and our keynote speaker. Through the cheers at that event I got a sense of just how widespread the student outrage was. Forgive me now if I seem out of touch with my student body, but as a double degree student who had spent the last month in hibernation working on her recital and her thesis, in addition to working with the preschoolers, I hadn't done anything else for weeks. At some point that day I was introduced to Irene, a student who was involved in organizing pins and armbands for students to wear during commencement the next day. We figured out a way to get me and the other student speaker armbands before the event. This same day all of us in the platform party got an email from the event organizer letting us know that certain media representatives would be in attendance, among them Fox news and National Public Radio. The situation seemed pretty serious.
When I got home Thursday night after a rehearsal, I decided I needed to at least insert a line in my speech about the armbands. And I would've left it there, had the other student speaker, Christina Antonakis-Wallace, not reminded me in a telephone conversation that night that I should read John McCain's speech from his other two speaking engagements which was conveniently posted on his website. Of course! I had to do my research. I checked the schedule for the ceremony and realized that I would be speaking just before the senator got his award. And that's when the idea for a preemptive strike began to brew in my little stressed-out brain. What if I tore McCain's speech apart before he even opened his mouth? After reading his speech a couple of times I picked out a few particularly loathsome sections--and believe it or not, none of these actually came from the extensive section where he defends his position on the war in Iraq--and I began planning an attack against him using his own words. . . . more http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jean-rohe/why-i-spoke-up_b_21358.html
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Spazito
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Sat May-20-06 08:07 PM
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1. Thanks for posting this! |
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Just reading it now. Courageous young woman.
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gristy
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Sat May-20-06 08:10 PM
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Tinksrival
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Sat May-20-06 08:22 PM
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3. I hate to quote Sean Insanity but.... |
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Jean, you ARE a great American!!!!!! :yourock:
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stevedeshazer
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Sat May-20-06 08:36 PM
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Imagevision
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Sat May-20-06 08:57 PM
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5. Excellant move for speaker Rohe, It obviously shook up McCain... |
cassiepriam
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Sun May-21-06 04:20 PM
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27. McCain realizing he sold his soul to the devil? nt |
Spazito
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Sat May-20-06 09:01 PM
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6. I understand even more clearly than ever why McCain and bush |
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go hand in hand given this petulant, petty remark by McCain from the NYT:
"I feel sorry for people living in a dull world where they can't listen to the views of others," he said.
Both assholes, bush and McCain deserve each other.
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otohara
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Sat May-20-06 09:43 PM
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18. Reading The Same Speech 3 Times |
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Edited on Sat May-20-06 09:44 PM by otohara
that's just pathetic. He should have expected the grads at New School to take advantage of his laziness, knowing they were so pissed. Wide open John, wide open!
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blossomstar
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Sat May-20-06 09:04 PM
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7. Thank you for posting! This young woman has given me HOPE |
swag
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Sat May-20-06 09:08 PM
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8. If you haven't already, go to the link. Full text of a brilliant speech. |
Robbien
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Sat May-20-06 09:09 PM
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9. I encourage everyone to click through to the rest of her essay |
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What a bright young women. Her speech is more statesmanlike than anything I have ever heard coming out of McCain.
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Spazito
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Sat May-20-06 09:14 PM
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10. You are so right! Just reading her speech gave me shivers it |
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was so powerful in it's honesty and courage.
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Vox Acerbus
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Sat May-20-06 09:19 PM
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11. As a speaker and journalist |
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I speak in a professional capacity often, and my degrees are in Journalism, English and public speaking.
To try to understand Rohe's speech I turned off the television and practiced it, reading the text as if I were going to present it myself.
My main thoughts: She was eloquent, brilliant and damned professional. McCain got whooped by a green college student who handed him his butt on a plate. I doubt he knew to expect such eloquence, and I doubt he was prepared at all. Ms. Rohe did a fantastic job, and has a great chance of further fame and fortune, hopefully politically, if she keeps listening ot her heart and using her eloquence to further public good.
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swag
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Sat May-20-06 09:21 PM
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12. Welcome do DU, Vox Acerbus |
Vox Acerbus
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Sat May-20-06 09:25 PM
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Thank you very much Swag! I appreciate your welcome very much.
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Robbien
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Sat May-20-06 09:31 PM
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14. And she did wrote it in the wee hours of the night |
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with her stomach all in knots. I would be interested in reading the speech she meant to give before she decided to make a stand with this one.
McCain went on to give his pre-packaged speech. He couldn't even change a word for the new circumstance.
Welcome to DU Vox Acerbus :hi:
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Vox Acerbus
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Sat May-20-06 09:34 PM
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15. It is amazing that she did that in the middle of the night.. |
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I have pulled off some pretty good material while sleep-deprived and nervous before, but never anything remotely worthy of national attention.
She did a fantastic job. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall throughout her first writing, her practice runs by friends and family and her subsequent updates. That she did this under such pressure shows that she would be a fantastic speaker, politican or leader in any capacity if she chose to do it professionally.
McCain was so blindsided. It was a beautiful thing. Ironically, if he had a moral leg to stand on, he probably could have ad-libbed something to justify his words in an improptu fashion. But when all you have are rehearsed lies and falsehoods, it's hard to switch midstream.
Thank you for the warm welcome Robbien!
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Spazito
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Sat May-20-06 09:39 PM
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16. Welcome to DU, Vox Acerbus! |
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Your insight into her speech is much appreciated.
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tblue37
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Sun May-21-06 12:14 AM
Response to Reply #15 |
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But I think the appropriate verb is "colberted."
Welcome to DU, Vox Acerbus!
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newyawker99
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Sun May-21-06 10:11 AM
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swag
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Sat May-20-06 09:40 PM
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17. Whoops, Rose Siding posted this first. |
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I'm going to ask the mods to combine this thread with hers. Please recommend Rose Siding's post. It belongs on the home page. Rose Siding's post is here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1246742Thanks.
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Spazito
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Sat May-20-06 09:46 PM
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I have recommended Rose's thread as well.
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LeahD
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Sun May-21-06 12:36 AM
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21. I believe this young woman experienced clarity.... |
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perhaps divinely inspired....for the benefit of humanity.
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AnotherMother4Peace
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Sun May-21-06 10:27 AM
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24. A wonderful form of divine intervention - Now, that's my kind of God |
LeahD
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Sun May-21-06 11:38 PM
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30. For sure! It was such a flash of brilliance, defying logic. |
LeahD
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Sun May-21-06 12:36 AM
Response to Original message |
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Edited on Sun May-21-06 12:45 AM by LeahD
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Toots
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Sun May-21-06 10:28 AM
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25. I thought this statement was quite telling..The complete Arrogance |
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"I almost wanted to warn the guy that I was about to make him look like an idiot so that he would at least have a fighting chance and an extra moment to change his speech to save himself. But he didn't even make eye contact when we shook hands, so I figured I didn't owe him anything."
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Sydnie
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Sun May-21-06 11:10 AM
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26. She is to be a guest on Laura Flanders show today |
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I heard Laura announce that yesterday on her show.
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cassiepriam
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Sun May-21-06 04:24 PM
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28. She bested him fair and square and he can't stand it...... nt |
Cha
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Sun May-21-06 04:46 PM
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Did bob kerrey or whomever know what they were unleashing when the bushlicker john mccain was invited to speak at The New School's Commencement?
"I almost wanted to warn the guy that I was about to make him look like an idiot so that he would at least have a fighting chance and an extra moment to change his speech to save himself. But he didn't even make eye contact when we shook hands, so I figured I didn't owe him anything."
This is so telling of mccain.
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Sat May 04th 2024, 06:03 PM
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