A HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED CONSERVATIVE BLACK WOMAN…oh the humanity!

A HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED CONSERVATIVE BLACK WOMAN…oh the humanity!

A cranky opinion for

CRANKY OPINION SATURDAY

The following is the opinion of a cranky old man with very little expertise on the subject opined.  Opposing opinions are welcome.  They are wrong, but welcome, and please, no name calling and that means you, you big stupid-head.

I was not going to submit a Cranky Saturday Opinion post this week, but my own State University, Rutgers, changed all that.

Rutgers has invited Condoleezza Rice to be this year’s commencement speaker.   Many Rutger's professors and students are quite upset at this choice.  They are trying to have the invite withdrawn.

Who can blame them?

Condoleezza Rice was a professor of political science at Stanford University, one of the most prestigious colleges in the US.  She served on the National Security Council as advisor to President George H.W. Bush during the dissolution of the Soviet Union and German reunification.  She was the National Security Advisor for George W. Bush, and later served as Secretary of State.  

Condoleezza Rice is an extraordinary person on many levels.  As a teen she was an accomplished figure skater.  She is a concert pianist of near professional expertise.   Her degrees and accolades from several of our most prestigious schools are too numerous to list. 

Why are Rutger’s professors and students angry at Ms. Rice’s becoming the commencement speaker? 

They say that while serving under George W. Bush she allowed torture of Al Quida Terrorists (waterboarding), and she played a major part in advocating and supporting the War in Iraq.  These professors and students claim the War in Iraq “has been arguably the worst and most destructive decision in the history of U.S. foreign policy.”  Those who would argue that probably have never been taught about the War in Vietnam or they would never make that argument.  Of course the Vietnam War was started by a Democrat Administration, escalated by a Democrat Administration and ended by a Republican Administration so a Liberal university just might not remember that one.  

These professors and students also forget the climate of the Country at the time these decisions were made.  Let me remind them.  After 9-11 most of the country was pretty pissed off.  Waterboarding a few people that had blown up our city and murdered our citizens didn’t really upset too many people at the time, especially if the waterboarding might prevent future attacks.   Probably we shouldn’t have waterboarded these terrorists.  We probably shouldn’t have even bothered to capture these terrorists.  We probably should have simply blown them away as President Obama had Osama Bin Ladin blasted several times in the head.  

Given the choice I would prefer waterboarding to having my brains blown out…but that’s just me.

Anyway.

I don’t want to get into an argument over the Iraq War, or waterboarding.  Both were probably a mistake.  It takes time for history to make that final determination.  What disturbs me is that a person of the stature of Condoleezza Rice, a person with qualifications beyond reproach, can be marginalized and demonized because some professors and students disagree with policies that took place in the administration she supported.

I understand that some people hate George W. Bush so much that they would like his eight years as President to be swept under the rug.  I know people believe he was a complete idiot, and his administration is to blame for anything bad that has happened in this country for the last fourteen years.  Maybe George W. Bush is an idiot, I disagree but I am tired of arguing against that point of view, however, for sure, Condoleezza Rice is no idiot.

 Condoleezza Rice is not  a politician.  She has shunned any offers to run for political office.  Many want her to run for President and she continually declines.  Whatever decisions Condoleezza Rice made or supported while in the Bush administration she made because she thought these decisions would best support and protect her country.

Rutgers University wants to stop Condoleezza Rice from speaking because she is the worst possible threat to their Liberal ideals.  She is a conservative black woman without political aspirations.  She is beholden to no one, so she cannot be tagged with the derogative Uncle Tom label.  Condoleezza Rice cannot be tagged as racist, she is black.  She cannot be tagged as misogynist, she is a woman.  She cannot be discarded as an idiot or a fool; she is clearly one of our countries brightest citizens.

The only explanation for her conservative positions is that she believes they are good policies.  She is an immensely intelligent black woman who argues sincerely for conservative positions and policies.  If the liberals in academia cannot dismiss her contrarian positions because of race, gender or ignorance, then they must shut her down.  They do not want her to have a forum.

Condoleezza Rice is not a terrorist.  She is not a George W. Bush toady.  She is not a war criminal.  She has something to say.  What she has to say may not be in lock-step with liberal beliefs.  What she has to say might make young people think, might let young people consider another point of view.  I always thought that is what is supposed to happen in institutions of higher learning.

Condoleezza Rice is a highly intelligent black woman.  She is a conservative. 

What are some Rutger’s professors and students afraid of?

Let her speak!

 

The preceding has been the opinion of a cranky old man, and not necessarily that of management…Mrs. Cranky.