'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

More Fallout from Furman's 'Gang of 200'

On Monday of this week, the group that calls itself 'Conservative Students for a Better Tomorrow' released a letter containing over 500 signatures that criticizes a group of liberal professors and students for protesting President Bush's graduation speech at the school on May 31.

The letter written by the liberals called 'the gang of 200' contains only about 200 signatures.

Those who object to the President's visit have threatened not to attend the graduation ceremony, in spite of the fact that all faculty members at Furman sign a contractual agreement which contains a clause requiring them to attend all graduation ceremonies as part of their duties.

Furman's administration has stated that provision will be made for the gang of 200 by giving them an area under a tent, away from the area where the graduation ceremony will be held so as to minimize any disruption.

The group has not made clear whether or not they will mount a full-fledged protest during the graduation ceremony.

Students and faculty who signed the letter criticizing the gang of 200 have stated that they consider it a major honor to have a sitting U.S. President address their graduating class, and they denounce the gang of 200 for putting politics and publicity-seeking antics ahead of honoring those who are graduating from the prestigious Baptist school.

Conservative Students for a Better Tomorrow wish for their letter to be added to the school's website, along side of the letter written by the gang of 200. Furman officials stated that they would 'consider such a move.'

The question is, what is there to consider? Without hesitation the school allowed a protest letter critical of Bush to be posted on the Furman website by a tiny minority of faculty. So what's the problem with posting a letter containing the opposite point of view, unless Furman's liberal bent prevents them from exercising objectivity?

I think the idea about putting the gang of 200 in a tent, separating them from the graduation ceremony, is great idea, however. The only thing missing is having them wear dunce hats while they entertain themselves under the tent.

For a recent rundown on the events surrounding this controversy, click here to go to the Greenville News (South Carolina) website:
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080519/NEWS04/805190326/1001/NEWS

Update on Furman's 'Gang of 200'

Apparently the controversy at South Carolina's Furman University concerning the graduation speech by President George W. Bush is growing. You will find complete details of the protests of the 'gang of 200' in an earlier post today on The Liberty Sphere.

As the childish and inappropriate tantrum of the group of 200 professors and students continues, a backlash has begun on campus, led by a group of conservative students.

Calling themselves 'Conservative Students for a Better Tomorrow,' these brave young men and women are calling on Furman's administration to hold the faculty to their contracts, which mandate their attendance at graduation ceremonies.

Apparently the cry-babies of the 'gang of 200' have been threatening not to show up for the ceremony due to the Bush speech.

In addition, apparently the Furman administration has refused to allow responses to the 'gang of 200's' letter, which was posted on the school's website. The conservative students are demanding that if Furman allows overt political commentary on its website, the least it can do is allow students to respond.

In fact, the conservative group is asking the administration to disallow a political statement by a tiny minority of the faculty to be posted on the website at all.

These students are to be highly commended for their willingness to stand up to the liberal machine in academia, which often effectively shames and silences conservative voices among students and guests.

If Furman allows the 'gang of 200' to get away with these juvenile antics, then I renew my call for the school's financial donors to withhold their funds until some sanity is restored to the University.

Here is a link to the website operated by 'Conservative Students for a Better Tomorrow' at Furman:
http://furmancsbt.org/graduation.aspx