Wash. U. Students Turn Backs to Phyllis Schlafly
Hundreds of Washington University in St. Louis graduates and some faculty turned their backs in protest as Phyllis Schlafly, a conservative activist, received an honorary degree at the school's commencement ceremony Friday. Although the number of protesters was a small percentage of the 14,000-person crowd, the audience was mostly quiet as Schlafly received her degree and some faculty even left the stage to turn their backs. The protest had been planned.
Schlafly is most notorious for her "anti-feminist" views on marital rape and sex education classes, and the anti-Schlafly Facebook group is 3,300 people strong. Schlafly's response? Her critics are "a bunch of losers." She adds: "Get a life. Move on. Try to do something with your life."
Tags: Washington University in St. Louis
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"a bunch of losers"?
For an 80 something year old "20th century political revolutionary," Ms. Schlafly is certainly eloquent...
protest was bigger than you say
I was at the graduation, and the protest was far larger than you have written. A majority of the students turned their backs on Schlafly. More than a few of the faculty participated as well. Even about a quarter of the parents and guests in my section participated. I admire the students for protesting their university giving a degree to a person who has only distinguished herself by being anti-intellectual, anti-feminist, and anti-gay. Phyllis Schlafly has every right to speak at Washington University (or any other university), but the university should not have chosen to honor her.
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Agree w/ Schlafly
I was at the Ceremony, and all the protest did was put a damper on the whole morning. This wasn't the place to protest! What a bunch of idiots! We are all free to have our thoughts and guess what, not all of them are going to be the same as your's. I happen to be Christian, and agree w/ some of her thoughts. While yes, some are extreme, she isn't changing the world thinking out loud.
What should have been a happy day for the grads, was turned into sour grapes by people with too much time on their hands. It was even more outrageous that the faculty participated. If you didn't like it, just don't clap!
Jerks!
May 19, 2008 10:59:06 AM [permalink] [report comment]