Northwestern rescinds honorary degree for Rev. Wright

[K Frame]

May 1 (Bloomberg) -- Northwestern University withdrew an invitation for the Reverend Jeremiah Wright to receive an honorary degree at this year's commencement.
 
Wright, former pastor to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, was selected to be honored at the June ceremony in Evanston, Illinois, on the recommendation of faculty committees, Alan Cubbage, vice president for university relations, said in a statement.

``In light of the controversy around Dr. Wright and to ensure the celebratory character of commencement not be affected, the university has withdrawn its invitation to Dr. Wright,'' Cubbage said.

Obama, an Illinois senator, has repeatedly denounced Wright's statements, which have included praise for Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and a suggestion that the U.S. government was capable of developing AIDS to infect black people.

Wright's statements ``offend me, they rightly offend all Americans and they should be denounced and that's what I'm doing very clearly and unequivocally today,'' Obama said in a news conference in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on April 29.

Obama's relationship with Wright came under renewed scrutiny when his former pastor repeated some of his statements, including that U.S. policy was partly to blame for the Sept. 11 attacks, during a speech at the National Press Club in Washington on April 28.

[Ezekiel]

This is a free country and Wright can say/feel as he desires.

The above is a just consequence from those who disagree.

[charby]

Yes, but a University also has a right to grant (or not grant) honary degrees to whomever they want.

[K Frame]

Did anyone say that the Rev. doesn't have the right to say what he wishes?

What a lot of people seem to forget, though, is that even though you might have the right to say what you want, you don't have the right or expectation that I will either A) agree with what you say, or B) listen to you in the first place.

[Ezekiel]

Did anyone say that the Rev. doesn't have the right to say what he wishes?

What a lot of people seem to forget, though, is that even though you might have the right to say what you want, you don't have the right or expectation that I will either A) agree with what you say, or B) listen to you in the first place.

Hence, I support the University in doing what it thinks is correct.

It is a consequence of Wright saying what he -- can he possibly? -- believes.

[HankB]

This is a free country and Wright can say/feel as he desires.

The above is a just consequence from those who disagree.

Very true . . .

* Wright is not in danger of being imprisoned for calling on the Almighty to damn America.

* The Dixie Chicks didn't have the Feds standing by to clap them in irons when they returned from Europe after their anti-Bush remarks.

* Don Imus wasn't arrested and thrown in jail for his "nappy headed ho's" comment.

But you know something? OTHER people have the right to say what they want, too, even if its to condemn what YOU said.

They can also rescind invitations, deny honorary degrees, stop buying albums, and peacefully advocate that others do the same as well.

Your right to mouth off in no way obligates anyone else to listen to you . . . or to subsidize your speech.

[Perd Hapley]

Funny how everyone is agreeing here, but still yelling at each other. 

As for Northwestern, it's a shame to see them keepin' a brother down this way.   

[Waitone]

Note the university is concerned over the controversy and not his beliefs.

[Bigjake]

Looks like his sting of UNINVITED continues.....  poxy bastard. 

If that guy really hates The States that much, he ought to go back to the Africa he seems to love so much.

[grampster]

Freedom has always had consequences.

[Perd Hapley]

If that guy really hates The States that much, he ought to go back to the Africa he seems to love so much.

You wanna skate a little closer to the edge of racism, there? 

[SomeKid]

If that guy really hates The States that much, he ought to go back to the Africa he seems to love so much.

You wanna skate a little closer to the edge of racism, there? 

It is not racial. Wright is an Afro-Centric type. He considers Africa and its peoples superior to America.

[Perd Hapley]

I don't think he meant it in a racist way.  Problem is, it sounds like it. 

[freakazoid]

If that guy really hates The States that much, he ought to go back to the Africa he seems to love so much.

"If you love it so much why don't you marry it?" Is that the gist of what you are saying?

[Bigjake]

If that guy really hates The States that much, he ought to go back to the Africa he seems to love so much.

You wanna skate a little closer to the edge of racism, there? 

Nope, none whatsoever.  Wright had made his position CRYSTAL clear, I'm just pointing at it.

[stevelyn]

I was watching Glenn Beck lastnight who was running all of "Rev." Wrights controversial comments.....er rants that he says were taken out of context. In full context they were still controversial.

I was struck by the fact that all of them were made during what looked to be "church" services.

Now I might be a godless heathen, but I was under the impression that one goes to church to learn how to be a better person in the pursuit of a better life and afterlife not to attend a weekly hate filled political rally.

Of course I could be wrong and if I am, I think I'll just continue being a godless heathen.