'Gang of 200' at Furman Univ. Makes National News

Furman University's 'Gang of 200' professors and students who are protesting President Bush's graduation address at the school have made national news. NPR News reported, incorrectly I might add, that the 'Furman faculty protests Bush's visit.'

NPR's leftist slant on the story is to be expected. However, let's not forget facts in the face of seizing the opportunity to make the story seem as though nearly all or at least most of those who teach at Furman agree with the protest and signed the letter entitled, 'We Object.'

In actuality only about 200 professors and students signed the protest letter--a tiny minority of the faculty and students at Furman.

Further, the group that calls itself 'Conservative Students for a Better Tomorrow' circulated a counter-protest letter that garnered over 650 signatures from students and faculty--3 times that of the liberals who wish to make a graduation ceremony all about Bush and not about the students.

In fact, a strong case can be made that the faculty members who originated the 'We Object' letter wish to make the Bush visit all about them rather than the deserving students who need the support of their professors at graduation, no matter what their political stripe.

Perhaps the actions of the gang of 200 are a way to 'flip the proverbial bird' at Furman's conservative students, who make up a fairly large portion of the student body.

For example, Conservative Students for a Better Tomorrow sponsored a speech on campus by national conservative columnist and Fox commentator Ann Coulter. Coulter spoke to a full house of about 2000 or more attendees that observers said reminded them of a rock concert.

The crowd was, to say the least, Coulter-friendly.

This sort of thing has never happened before at the traditionally-liberal Furman. The fact that the conservative group is so strong and active--and successful--on a liberal campus is sure to stick in the craw of the leftist professors who make up a significant portion of the Furman faculty.

Could this be their way of making the student body pay for its conservative beliefs? What better way to disrupt and turn sour a graduation event that is supposed to be a happy occasion?

The liberal professors and students have made their point. They have had plenty of free publicity. We know where they stand. So, why continue with the juvenile display at the graduation ceremony, unless there is a hidden agenda that goes far beyond what the gang of 200 claims as its main objective?

Mature adults know when to protest and when to be silent. Babies who never grew up, although they are significantly older in years, insist on their way and exercise absolutely no prudence, rationality, or the broader issue of taking into consideration the pain they cause those who do not share their views nor want them displayed at their graduation ceremony.

For more information, the following links will lead to the website of Conservative Students for a Better Tomorrow, the 'Support Our Seniors' webpage, and the NPR news story on the gang of 200:

http://furmancsbt.org/gradinfo.aspx

http://furmancsbt.org/graduation.aspx

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90664132