Skip to comments.
News Publisher Booed During Speech
AP ^
| December 16, 2001
| Associated Press
Posted on 12/16/2001 12:40:10 PM PST by Mushinronshasan
News Publisher Booed During Speech
By Associated Press
December 16, 2001, 4:14 PM EST
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A newspaper publisher's commencement speech was drowned out by hecklers when she mentioned threats to civil liberties posed by the federal government's investigation of the terrorist attacks.
Janis Besler Heaphy, president and publisher of The Sacramento Bee, was delivering the midyear graduation address Saturday to about 17,000 people at California State University in Sacramento.
When Heaphy raised questions about racial profiling, limits on civil rights and the establishment of military tribunals, the audience interrupted by clapping and stomping their feet for five minutes.
University President Don Gerth tried to quiet the audience, but Heaphy stopped speaking after more loud heckling erupted.
Heaphy told The Sacramento Bee afterward that the hecklers were merely blaming the messenger.
"This was a message about civil liberties and our acceptance of differing points of view in American society," she said. "It's a message that needs to continue to be heard."
Gerth blamed the interruption on students' family members and friends and said some students apologized to Heaphy after the ceremony.
"Our students have a right to hear our speaker," Gerth said. "It is a day I will never forget. I am not proud of it."
Heaphy's speech will be posted in its entirety Monday on the university's Web site, Gerth said.
Heaphy said she plans to continue to voice her concerns about potential civil liberties violations.
Copyright © 2001, The Associated Press
TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-60, 61-74 next last
To: Mushinronshasan
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
To: Mushinronshasan;grampa Dave; sierrawasp;farmfriend;
Most interesting!
To: Mushinronshasan
Where are these civil liberties clowns when government seizures of people's property is going on? When hate crimes laws are passed? When helmet and seatbelt laws are passed?
By the way, the Sacramento Bee is a liberal piece of ****.
4
posted on
12/16/2001 12:44:20 PM PST
by
Lizavetta
To: Mushinronshasan
"Our students have a right to hear our speaker," Gerth said. She has a right to speak. There is no right to be listened to.
To: Lizavetta
Bump !
6
posted on
12/16/2001 12:45:37 PM PST
by
Ben Bolt
To: Mushinronshasan
Believe it or not, we are fighting now so we can preserve the rights of these ding dongs to give these types of speeches.
7
posted on
12/16/2001 12:45:39 PM PST
by
ambrose
To: Mushinronshasan
Since when are newspaper publishers supposed to be in the buisness of delivering messages? If Roger Ailes or Rupert Murdoch had done this, Katie Couric et al would have been screaming bloody murder.
8
posted on
12/16/2001 12:46:52 PM PST
by
mewzilla
To: Mushinronshasan
Nice to see a liberal shouted down on a college campus, for once. They've been doing it to conservatives for thirty years.
-ccm
9
posted on
12/16/2001 12:47:00 PM PST
by
ccmay
To: Mushinronshasan
Actually, the left has been stomping, whistling and drowning out speakers on university campuses for years now. Odd how they don't like the same tactics turned against them and their sacred utterances....
10
posted on
12/16/2001 12:47:12 PM PST
by
livius
To: livius
Just ask David Horowitz.
11
posted on
12/16/2001 12:48:42 PM PST
by
altura
To: Lizavetta
You forgot - campaign finance reform. Would you believe Daschle was trying to bring it up on Meet the Press today? Amazing, just amazing!
12
posted on
12/16/2001 12:49:20 PM PST
by
Sueann
To: livius
Im shocked, almost speachless, id never thought that id see the day that this would happen on an American college campus. Its awsome.
13
posted on
12/16/2001 12:49:51 PM PST
by
Husker24
To: Mushinronshasan
Some liberals like inserting political views into graduation speeches, trying to imply the entire graduating class will agree or should agree with their politics.
Also a situation with a captive audience that doesn't have a choice as far as whether they wish to hear them.
To: Mushinronshasan
"Our students have a right to hear our speaker,"
And the speaker, Janis Besler Heaphy, president and publisher of The Sacramento Bee, has a right to hear the students. They apparently made themselves heard...and she didn't like it. It wasn't the messenger--it was the message.
Now, Janis Besler Heaphy, president and publisher of The Sacramento Bee, can proudly stand up with Hillary C as another victim of right-wing radicalism (/sarcasm).
I'm not so interested in seeing her comments (to be posted Monday), but I would sure enjoy watching the tape.
That way America could be able to do a comparative analysis of Ms Heaphly's booing and Hillary's booing.
I might be wrong--it might be the messenger(s).
Opps...ended sarcasm earlier, but fingers continued at the keyboard.
15
posted on
12/16/2001 12:52:51 PM PST
by
TomGuy
To: Mushinronshasan
"Our students have a right to hear our speaker," Gerth said. "It is a day I will never forget. I am not proud of it." This putz should tell it to Ward Conneley, David Horowitz, Robert Bork, Clarence Thomas, Chuck Heston or any of the dozens of conservatives that have been booed, heckled, threatened and worse on ‘illiberal’ college campuses over the years.
16
posted on
12/16/2001 12:53:13 PM PST
by
Ditto
To: Mushinronshasan
BUMP to the RIGHT a little more, thank you!
To: Mushinronshasan
Good for the demonstrators ...
Some years ago, I walked out of my son's graduation from Foothill, Junior College near Stanford, California. The black speaker was presenting the most disgusting, waste of time, multicultural speech I'd ever heard.
To: Mushinronshasan
I'm confused. Were the students booing the fact she was criticizing the measures, or the more restrictive measures themselves?
19
posted on
12/16/2001 12:57:18 PM PST
by
Ligeia
To: Mushinronshasan
“Heaphy said she plans to continue to voice her concerns about potential civil liberties violations.“
Do you suppose she was also referring to the 2nd amendment or just civil liberties that met her and her ilk’s litmus test?
20
posted on
12/16/2001 12:58:17 PM PST
by
schaketo
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-60, 61-74 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson