Gov.'s Grad Speech Debated [Leftists to DISRUPT Schwarzenegger at Santa Monica College commencement]

Santa Monica College CORSAIR ONLINE ^ | May 25, 2005 | Candis Welch

[RonDog]

Corsair - News
Issue: 5/25/05

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Gov.'s Grad Speech Debated
By Candis Welch

Students and faculty members of Santa Monica College gathered Thursday in a heated debate on whether California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is a good choice for the 2005 Commencement speaker.

Schwarzenegger, an SMC alumnus, will speak at this year's graduation on June 14. This has elicited a strong reaction from both sides of the issue, and some are concerned that activists are planning to disrupt graduation.

Tempers flared as each side strongly debated the issue in LA 115.

Media Credit: Marie-noel Jauffret
At Santa Monica College last thursday,
Tom Olter, president of the republican club,
speaks at the meeting to support the
college´s choice for having Schwarzeneger for
commencment speaker at the graduation this spring .

"There is a lot of controversy surrounding him (Schwarzenegger). I am worried that his presence will take away from my graduation," said SMC student Vanessa Henry. "My concern is that it will become a political rally."

Tom Olster, president of SMC Republicans Club, believes that Henry's concern is "rather fatalistic." "I don't believe that the governor is coming here with intentions to have a political rally," said Olster, who is graduating from SMC. "He is an alumnus of this college and I believe his speaking here will have a positive impact on the graduates."

Some students and faculty expressed concern that the opposition to the Governor is more a partisan issue than anything else.

"I do not want him here because his policies have been anti- education. I think it is a very poor choice on the administration's part to choose a speaker that has raised tuition fees for college students, and has reduced education spending by $2 billion for elementary and high schools. I wish they had a group conscience with the students and faculty," said SMC student Samantha Garcia.

Fran Chandler, professor of business at SMC, supports the choice of Schwarzenneger as the commencement speaker. "Public relations always have so-called feelers who try to determine who would be the best choice for speaker. They have concluded that the governor is the top choice," Chandler said. "Incidentally, SMC has earned more money from Arnold as a governor then previous ones," said Chandler.

Some students are concerned about security and police presence surrounding the governor.

"I heard various rumors- one to the effect that any student wearing a button protesting the governor's policies will be removed from the ceremony immediately," SMC student Andrew Macdonald said.

Robert Moore, a faculty member, said he hopes that the ceremony does not become a platform for any political agenda. "I hope who ever attends has enough respect for the ceremony that they will not make it a political rally," he said. "The president of SMC should have consulted students first before inviting the governor; however, I feel that Arnold is not a Nazi. He is a business owner in the city of Santa Monica. To listen to what the governor has to say about life after graduation will be very interesting and enlightening. He will mention things pertaining to the real world," Moore said.

Members of Progressive Alliance broke away from the forum early in the debate to "strategize" on a possible protest before and possibly during the ceremony.

Betti Caraway, who was wearing an SMC Republican Club T-shirt showing her membership, went to the meeting and said she was greeted with antagonism.

"Professor Bob Massey of sociology was there and he asked me to leave. He said if I was not in agreement with them, so I should leave. I refused to leave and they all got up and left," Caraway said.

Ben Isenberg who is also a member of the Republican Club received the same treatment. "They made it clear that we were not welcomed. I think they are planning some kind of protest," Isenberg said.

Olster said that he is anticipating a possible protest. "If we need to stand in support of our own graduation we will. If it becomes a point to disrupt graduation then I do not know what to say about that," he said.

Prof. Chandler offered her view: "I think that anything that disrupts graduation itself will be very inappropriate."

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[RonDog]

HERE is our opposition, as posted on the "cancer from A.N.S.W.E.R." website:

 Protest Gov. Schwarzenegger
in Santa Monica!
Fight Back! Stop Budget Cuts!
Full Rights for Immigrants!
Tues, June 14, 5 pm
Santa Monica College
(corner of Pico & 17th St), Santa Monica

On June 14, Schwarzenegger is coming to Santa Monica College to speak to graduating students. Meanwhile, he wants to cut education funding, teacher's wages, pensions and jobs across California. Join us at SMC to protest Schwarzenegger and his racist, sexist, anti-people policies. Let's build a united people's fight back to tell Schwarzenegger that students, teachers, nurses, workers, immigrants and retired people are NOT "special interests!"

 

Return Money to the Education Budget!
Hands Off Public Pensions!
Stop the Attacks on Immigrants!
Fight Racism & Sexism!

Initiated by: Santa Monica College Coalition in Solidarity with Cuba, Youth and Student ANSWER, Progressive Alliance-Santa Monica College and Global Resistance Network

All progressive organizations and individuals are encouraged to endorse and build for this important demonstration. To endorse, call 323-464-1636 or e-mail answerla@answerla.org. 

Flyer (English/Spanish)

[RonDog]

...Members of Progressive Alliance broke away from the forum early in the debate to "strategize" on a possible protest before and possibly during the ceremony.

Southern California PING!

[Unam Sanctam]

however, I feel that Arnold is not a Nazi

Gee, that's big of him!

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Were Jesus to return and be asked to speak, the left would protest "separation of church and state". Their protesting is valid free speech. Giving in to them is cowardly stupid.

[RonDog]

See also the PREVIOUS thread:

Schwarzenegger at Santa Monica College Commencement, June 14th.
NEED BODIES!
SMC Republicans | Tom Oster
Posted on 05/26/2005 12:04:26 PM PDT by CalGOPTom

Greetings all! My name is Tom Oster and I am the president of Santa Monica College Republicans. This year, we have been fortunate enough to get Governor Schwarzenegger to come to speak at our graduation commencement on June 14th.

At the moment, however, Gov. Schwarzenegger is, as most of you probably know, being relentlessly pursued and hounded throughout the state by far-left groups, unions and other assorted characters. Faculty and staff on our campus, leftist on-campus groups and outside organizations are coordinating to protest and disrupt our graduation.

We mean to oppose them and stand in support of our own graduation. SMC Republicans, formed in 2003, exists to oppose exactly these sort of on-campus antics. Right now, we are looking for supporters and allies to come to the commencement to support us and the Governor and stand against the crazies.

Our commencement will be on Tuesday, June 14th, starting at 5 pm. It will be at Santa Monica College, 1900 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA. Right now, we are organizing when and where we can have supporters meet and be placed.

We can be contacted at smcrepublicans@yahoo.com.

Thanks again, Tom Oster President, SMC Republicans

CLICK HERE for the rest of that thread

[RonDog]

Tom Olter, president of the republican club...

That would be THIS guy (whose name they misspelled):

NEW photos!
ANN COULTER joins the U.S. Marines [and L.A. FReepers] at party after "Late, Late Show"
Ann Coulter pics from Craig Ferguson's Late, Late Show ^ | May 24, 2005 | RonDog [and FRiends]
Posted on 05/24/2005 9:11:20 PM PDT by RonDog

-- snip --

That is Tom in the patriotic tie behind Ann.

CLICK HERE for the rest of that thread

[RonDog]

College Republican PING, please!

[Cinnamon Girl]

Betti Caraway, who was wearing an SMC Republican Club T-shirt showing her membership, went to the meeting and said she was greeted with antagonism.

"Professor Bob Massey of sociology was there and he asked me to leave. He said if I was not in agreement with them, so I should leave. I refused to leave and they all got up and left," Caraway said.

How democratic of the professor-- let's all leave is someone here doesn't agree with us. College (and junior college) professors are at the forefront of idiocy in America today.

[hardworking]

This is great! This means that every news team in America will be covering Arnold's speech!! Best exposure for a sensible conservative yet! The Terminator will handle the hecklers just fine and make them look like the dunces they are. Go Arnold!

[RonDog]

Members of Progressive Alliance broke away from the forum early in the debate to "strategize" on a possible protest before and possibly during the ceremony.

And, from www.smc.edu/associated_students/index_sites/as_clubs.htm:

PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE (formerly Socialist Action Club)
Advisor: Michael Soldatenko
T, Th, 11:15a-12:35p LA 240
To contact: Attend their meeting or leave a note in their mailbox.
Purpose: Educate and discuss current events and political issues.

[Tax Government]

I hope there are enough counter-protestors at the site to make the worms crawl back in their slimy holes.

[CalGOPTom]

Yeah, they got my name wrong, but at least got a half-decent picture.

We're working on organizing all of this. There's going to be action outside. The oppo is setting up at 17th and Pico and we're laying out the best spots to be on the street.

The latest intel we have on the oppo is that their on-campus core leadership, the ones hosting their end of things, may be planning the focus of their own effort inside the stadium, inside the event itself, meaning that they may leave the ruckus on the street primarily to their outside allies. That is, at least, what I would do in their place, if I had the numbers they're likely to get. We're working on a counter assuming the inside event the main target and the street a diversionary effort.

One thing we need, inside and out, is friendly and accessible video on the event: as much as possible, the more the better. Anyone with a working video or still camera (preferably digital), is encouraged to assist.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks for the informative post RonDog.

The protesters still haven't figured out that you can't pay billions upon billions when you're already in the red. Spending has got to be reduced.

The leftist mind is something to behold. When they have ten dollars in their pocket, they think they should be able to pay cash for a new car. That's the logic they're using here. It doesn't make sense.

People who have spent the time and effort to 'earn' a commencement ceremony should be respected enough to have their day not be interrupted so some malcontents can steal their spotlight.

[FairOpinion]

Sounds like they are going to try to spoil the event for everyone, by trying to disrupt the event inside, probably trying to disrupt Arnold's speech.

Totally apart from politics, I don't know how anyone with two braincells to rub together could object to Arnold, and SMC Alumni speaking at the SMC graduation. Arnold is the personification of success, of inspiration, that anything is achievable with hard work, which is exactly the message graduating students need.

[sauropod]

You need your own MOAB with "why call it ANSWER? It's workers world party!" and Brian Becker is a Commie! on it.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Have people dress up like Mr. Freeze and make their cameras look like ice guns...

Have them say: "When I get to Sacramento, everything freeezes."

[DumpsterDiver]

Fight Back! Stop Budget Cuts!
Full Rights for Immigrants!
No Rights for Illegal Aliens

[Feiny]

These republican students need to learn how to spy effectively. How about not wearing that dead give-away shirt? They could have sat in on the meeting, got the info & shared it with others.

[Feiny]

"I wish they had a group conscience with the students and faculty,"

Is that similar to the VULCAN MIND MELD?

[zbigreddogz]

Listen here, you sniviling whiners, I sat through Maria Cantwell at my graduation. You can sit through Arnold.

What ever happened to 'respect for other ideas' and 'open mindedness' anyway?